Cafe owner stands by her judgement (From Penarth Times)

Cafe owner stands by her judgement

A PENARTH mum has hit out at a popular caf that made her feed her nine-month-old baby in the street.

Claire Parker claims the The Washington Gallery, on Stanwell Road, asked her and her son Liam to leave because of the lunchtime rush.

The Hewell Street resident, who was with her sister, said: "We were sitting in the caf drinking coffee and eating cakes.

So we had bought something there. But I wanted to feed my son with his baby food, which can not be bought in the caf."

She added: "My daughter had been making a T-shirt in a workshop run by the gallery.

She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and we have no complaints about the activity at all.

"My sister and I both brought a child to do the activity, but we were shocked that the gallery asked us to leave.

If they have activities for children they have to expect pushchairs and babies." But director of the gallery Maggie Knight has defended her decision.

She said: "I take full responsibility for asking them to feed their baby elsewhere.

It was our busiest time of the day, and they had been sitting at the table for 45 minutes.

We have every right to ask a person to leave.

The people were not rude in any way, but I think it is reasonable because they had not ordered a lunch.

The activities finished at noon."

She added: "It was very close to 1pm, which is our busy lunch hour."

Claire's sister, Karen Kihlberg, of Pembridge Drive, said: "The incident spoilt our day, and we shall not be going to the caf again.

"It is not as if Liam is a noisy child, because he is a very happy and does not cause a fuss.

"My daughter enjoyed the T-shirt making and the lunch which we paid extra for.

But the girls were not very happy with us, because we began to complain about what had happened."