Pub near Manchester Airport's warning after boy breaks arm and children hurt
The Airport Pub has been a popular place for plane spotters for years - but there have been a number of incidents since the playground reopened
A popular pub near an airport has issued a call for parents to keep a closer watch on their kids following several injuries in the children's play area. The Airport Pub, found a stone's throw from Manchester Airport, has long been a favourite spot for aviation enthusiasts, particularly youngsters keen to observe planes as they soar into the sky or touch down.
It recently reopened after a major revamp, and since then, there have been multiple incidents involving children, prompting the establishment's staff to appeal to parents via social media to monitor their kids more diligently.
In a message posted on Facebook and Instagram on Saturday, May 12, the pub relayed information about various accidents, including one serious case where a boy fractured his arm, as reported by The Manchester Evening News.
In a post, the pub stated: "We would like to remind all visitors that children must be supervised at all times whilst on the play area. Over recent weeks there have been multiple reports of children hurting themselves due to misuse of the equipment, the most major being a young boy breaking his arm.
"There have also been instances of children hitting/scratching other children. On all occasions, the children have been unsupervised which makes establishing exactly what has happened difficult without reviewing CCTV."
The post emphasised the importance of parental supervision in the play area. It added "If there is a family seated inside but we notice only the parents/adults at the table whilst the children are on the play area, we will inform you that they need to be supervised. Thanks in advance for your cooperation."
Accompanying the post was an image of the disclaimer sign from the play zone with a clear message that reads: "Parents must supervise children at all times."
The message clarified that the playground caters for kids under 12 and highlighted several rules, such as 'no smoking or vaping' and 'no glassware'.
The refurbishment is an improvement and expansion to the airplane and play area that was installed seven years ago and has proved a massive hit with families and visitors.
Subsequent to online feedback, the social media communications from the Robinsons-owned pub about the children-related incidents have been updated to exclude particular details regarding incidents on-site.
They now just ask that children be supervised and say visitors leaving youngsters alone on the play area will be approached by staff.
A spokesperson for the pub said: "The message The Airport team wanted to get across was the importance of close supervision on the play equipment. It’s an extremely busy pub with lots of children using the equipment every day. We want everyone to have a great time in the pub and ensuring the safety of everyone is paramount.
"We of course do everything at our end to ensure risk assessments and procedures are in place and work with the EHO (environmental health officers) to do so, but this still requires the cooperation of our visitors too. We’re lucky to have a great and unique spot for families to visit and love seeing the children making the most of the play area."