A dad was left furious after he took his family of nine from the same household to a pub, only to be turned away over the rule of six.
Daniel Gough tried to visit the Baldwin Arms, a Hungry Horse pub in Hall Green, Birmingham, with his girlfriend Helen and his seven children, aged between five months and 14.
Mr Gough, 39, said he told staff that they were all from the same household during their visit on October 4.
But a manager told the scaffolder, a "regular" at the pub, they wouldn't be allowed in for a meal because there were more than six of them, BirminghamLive reported.
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The Government makes exceptions to the rule for large families living under the same roof. The pub said it has "taken the decision to limit table sizes to six in all circumstances".
Mr Gough said: "I am a scaffolder and I work away quite a bit. When I do come home I want to treat my girlfriend and kids so I take them out for meals.
"I have been a regular at the Baldwin Arms and visit about three times a week.
"I never book a table they are usually happy for us to just turn up and accommodate us.
"Staff told us they couldn't seat us because there were more than six of us.
"I explained we were all in the same household and asked if we could just go on two separate tables but they were having none of it.
"I know the government does make an allowance for large families like ours living in the same household. I asked to speak to the manager and she wouldn't budge.
"It was upsetting as sitting us on two separate tables seemed a simple solution.
"I am a regular there and have always got on with the staff but this has really upset me.
"On that day we went to another pub nearby and there wasn't a problem."
A spokesperson for the Baldwin Arms said: “Since reopening, we have encouraged all customers to pre-book their tables ahead of their visit.
"Our booking system is set up to enable six people maximum to be booked onto a table and whilst we understand that a household plus support bubble may be more than six people, we have found that this can cause confusion with other guests and have taken the decision to limit table sizes to six in all circumstances.
“Where a household or bubble group numbers more than six people we will do our best to seat them on adjacent tables, however we cannot guarantee to always do this due to availability on the day.”
