German Eatery Bans Babies

Dogs would be welcome, it said, but "here, children are not allowed in the evening."

Jana Schmid, 32, wanted to celebrate a christening with five adults and two small children at the "Boheme" restaurant at Augsburg in southern Germany, the only non-smoking eatery in the area.

"We are always being told that Germany must do more for children," she told the weekly Bild am Sonntag. "And then we are told they are not welcome, all they do is whine and disturb people. It would be unthinkable in countries such as Italy and Spain."

Peter Degle, the owner of the "Boheme" and father of two, said he had to think of the interests of his regulars.

"After a hard day's work they want some peace," he said. "Recently they have complained on several occasions about crying babies. During the day children are welcome but in the evening businessmen have priority and we wanted to spare them crying children.

"In any case at that time of day small children should be in bed," he said, adding that dogs were welcome at both lunch and dinner.

Schmid conceded that many people in Augsburg, in the conservative Bavaria region, backed Degle.

"And I get taken for a wicked mother who drags her children around nightlife haunts," she said, adding that she only wanted to celebrate the christening of her year-old son and "be home by 8:30 pm."