A grandmother of seven bans children under 15 from her new restaurant, then faces claims of discrimination: ‘I’m not backing down’
‘There’s nothing in here for a child.’
A Winnipeg restaurant owner says she is standing by a rule that keeps children under 15 out of her new Jamaican restaurant, even after some people accused her of discrimination. According to Daily Mail, Miss Christine’s Kitchen is due to open later this month.
In a Facebook post, the restaurant stated that it aims for a “warm, cozy and relaxing atmosphere” and described its dining room as “a comfortable intimate setting for adults.” It pitched the space as a place to unwind, whether for a date night or a business meeting. The post added that “our dining room welcomes guests ages 15 and older.”
Reaction online was split at first. Some people welcomed a dining room without children, while others criticized the restaurant, and the negative comments on the post appear to have been removed. Owner Christine Pattison says she made the call because adults “deserve a break.”
She says there is nothing in the space for a child.
Pattison also pushed back on the discrimination claims. “It’s not like (kids) can’t eat my food. You have the option of picking up… so I don’t see where the (claims of) discrimination are coming in,” she says. “There’s nothing in here for a child. It’s very tiny, it’s an intimate space, there’s nowhere to run around. I’m not backing down. I’m sticking to my guns.”
She has seven grandchildren, and she says the decision came after years of working at a restaurant inside the Chalet Hotel. There, she says she saw children regularly bother other diners. She adds that some customers asked for later bookings or particular tables to stay away from small children.
According to CBC, the restaurant sits on Ellice Avenue in Winnipeg’s West End and seats guests by reservation. It will not have a kids’ menu, high chairs, or a changing table. Pattison says the space is meant for a calm evening out. “For this space, I wanted to create something special for adults only,” she says.
A human rights lawyer with the Public Interest Law Centre told the outlet the answer “depends” on the age set, the circumstances, and the harm a complainant suffered. She stressed that she was not giving legal advice or commenting on this case.
The Government of Manitoba states that the Manitoba Human Rights Commission “is authorized to mediate and investigate complaints of discrimination.” Its role also includes “promoting human rights and educating the public.” The page gives “treated differently based on generalizations about a group” as one example of discrimination, and “a job advertisement that states, no young people need apply” as another.
Pattison says she called the Commission to ask whether the policy breaks human rights. She had not reached anyone yet and expected a reply within days. A local mother of four says the rule is unfair and that she may file a complaint if it is enforced. “You cannot refuse service to them at the door simply because they’re under 15,” she says.
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