The Lawrence Hargrave Drive eatery has copped a hiding online for its attitude towards children, complete with sign advising kids to be ‘‘seen and not heard (and seated)’’, plastered across the door.

Owner Frank O’Hara told the Mercury complaints from parents didn’t bother him as he had no time - or place - for wild children in his cafe.

‘‘We mainly have an elderly crowd who want to enjoy a cup of coffee in peace,’’ he said.

‘‘Parents with children are allowed to eat here but their kids need to be behaved.’’

The restaurant’s view has drawn the ire of parents.

Several irate patrons have taken to website True Local to voice their issues with the cafe’s ‘‘rudeness’’ to people with kids, with several warning parents to eat elsewhere.

Commentor jk29 recounted her experience at the Beanstalk, claiming she had tried to order a slice of grilled cheese for her 20-month-old daughter, only to be told ‘‘we don’t cater for kids’’.

‘‘I can understand that such a culinary masterpiece as grilled cheese may not be possible during busy periods, however apart from two other people ... we were the only ones in the cafe,’’ she wrote.

‘‘I was then advised I should order something for myself and just break bits of it off to feed to ‘the kid’ as again ‘we don’t cater for kids’.’’

Another commentor, the Happy Gardner, said she had gone to the cafe with her seven-month-old granddaughter and was quickly told ‘‘it was not a place for children.’’

Commentor mum-by-day took her four-year-old daughter to the cafe to buy a book.

Her daughter was thumbing through a title when the parents were told: ‘‘children are not allowed to read books at the tables, unless you intend to buy them’’.

The mum said they had actually planned to buy it.

Mr O’Hara said he copped complaints from parents ‘‘all the time’’ but wasn’t prepared to change his position.

‘‘We had a lot of damage done to books and we needed to do something about the kids,’’ he said.

‘‘I understand why parents get cranky, I’m a parent myself, but some parents just don’t control their kids - they let them run wild and pull books off the shelves, we have a lot of expensive antiques in here.

‘‘Some parents are brilliant ... all we ask it that children be seated.’’

Mr O’Hara said the cafe’s stance had actually earned him a pat on the back from several patrons who enjoyed the chance to eat ‘‘away from their kids’’.

Unfriendly child cafes have made their way into the headlines this week after Newcastle eatery, A Little French Cafe, was forced to defend its stance.

The cafe posted a ‘‘housekeeping’’ announcement on its Facebook page on Monday, noting it was not child friendly.

The post has since been deleted.

A NSW Department of Fair Trading spokeswoman said there were no provisions under Australian consumer law for child unfriendly policies.

The spokeswoman noted establishments have the right to reasonably refuse service unless the action contravenes discrimination laws.

‘‘Upon entering premises a patron agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of that premises,’’ she said.