Screaming Children Will Not Be Tolerated: a shopping centre takes a stand against noisy kids

The Dee Why Grand Shopping Centre on Sydney's northern beaches has made a controversial decision to post a sign stating, ‘[s]creaming children will not be tolerated in the centre,’ causing uproar among some community members.

According to an article on smh.com.au, the decision to post the new sign was the result of complaints to centre management concerning out-of-control children running amok in the food court, disturbing others’ enjoyment of the centre. Amidst the furore, the Shopping Centre has attempted to clarify their position, stating that it has not "banned" noisy children from the facility but is taking action to avoid parents allowing their children to run wild in the food court and "scream at the highest decibels".

Brenda Mulcahy, Centre Manager, said a more gently worded sign was posted in the shopping centre last year, however it did not have the sought after effect.

"Children don't have to be silent. We've got music playing, it's a shopping centre, and we expect children to play and we expect children to be noisy," Ms Mulcahy said, "but I'm not talking play noise [that is causing complaints]. I'm talking screaming, decibel noise."

Ms Mulcahy said the free play centre had been adjacent to the food court since the shopping centre opened in 2010, and parents or guardians were required to supervise their children in the centre. Yet in the past year noise complaints had increased, and children were also exiting the play centre to run around the food court.

"You've got coffee, hot soups, other hot food, you've got tables that are permanent fixtures. It's a safety issue as well. As a shopping centre manager it is my job to provide a secure, safe and enjoyable experience for everybody, not just some people. Given this is a free facility, there is some due consideration for other people."

Read more here.

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