Kids are the worst, am I right? Sure, my almost-two-year-old daughter is the light of my life, each day bringing me a new but exhausting joy, and I love her more than anything else in this world (myself included, a turn of events that even I didn’t see coming), but woof. Well, one new cafe in Ireland has put the kibosh on the kiddos; The Old Barracks Coffee Roastery and Coffeebar in Birdhill has a strict adults-only policy.
Opened in July, The Old Barracks is “the destination for coffee curious adults,” per their website. This means no kids, though the exact age limit does not appear to be posted anywhere online. I know a lot of 20- and 30-year-olds who are very much still children, but I imagine they meet the baseline criteria for entry. According to a press release, owner Alan Andrews’ idea is to “filter out the noise of children” in order for adult-aged patrons to enjoy the “relaxed atmosphere… and the engagement from the baristas on all things coffee.”
“People are just enjoying the space and enjoying their coffee in peace, without distraction from their kids – or other people’s kids. We’re really happy with the response,” Andrews states. And statistics seems to back up that sentiment. TheJournal.ie polled 11,000 people, with a whopping 74% saying they would take advantage of an adults-only cafe like The Old Barracks.
As the press release notes, there have been some negative reviews, calling the experience “pretentious” and “overpriced.” Some have even taken to Facebook and TripAdvisor to express their disappointment with being turned away at the door when they arrived with their children, presumably unaware of the quirky rule.
But the overall public seems to be taking to The Old Barracks, with ratings of 3.7 and 4.0 out of five on Facebook and TripAdvisor, respectively. For a better idea of what The Old Barracks is about (beyond just being kid-free), check out this 25-minute video of The Old Barracks’ Marketing Executive Rachel Leahy interviewing Andrews.
The real question remains: will The Old Barracks serve me, an ostensible adult, a babyccino? What about a babycano for when I’m already feeling a little foamy and bloaty and don’t need the extra milk? My ability to get either of these drastically affects my attendance. And whether or not the babysitter is available.
Zac Cadwalader is the news editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
Top image via The Old Barracks Coffee Roastery and Coffeebar
