A mum has told how a family trip to Belfast's Christmas Market was "ruined" after they were turned away from a number of city centre restaurants because of children.
Sarah Tierney said she took her two children, aged eight and 11, to the popular market at City Hall on Sunday and had been having a wonderful day out until they attempted to get something to eat afterwards.
The West Belfast mum says that she tried to go to a number of restaurants on Sunday evening but was turned away from them all – claiming she was told the children were not welcome.
Read more: Belfast Christmas Market: Meet some of the traders joining in the festive fun at City Hall
Sarah told Belfast Live they had attempted to go to approximately seven different restaurants but were told they could not be served every single time.
She said: "On Sunday I took my children down to the Christmas Market for the day and we were having a great time until we tried to go somewhere for dinner afterwards.
"We went to a couple of local restaurants, but each one of them told us that children were not welcome or that they were fully booked, despite there being loads of empty tables which did not appear to be reserved.
"We then tried a few other restaurants in the area only to be told the same thing and there were many other families who were trying to get some food that we saw being turned away.
"In the end we must have tried about six or seven different places and couldn't get into a single one and ended up just going home to get something to eat because my kids were starving by that point.
"It was a real shame because we had such a brilliant day out at the Christmas Market and it feels like it has been completely ruined because the local restaurants would not allow us inside with children.
"I was shocked that these places were not more family friendly, especially when events like the Christmas Market are on and restaurants need to be doing more to encourage families into them, rather than turning them and young children away."
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