Having been a single parent, Ed Danieli knew the importance of having a child-friendly venue to enjoy his morning cuppa.
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So when he opened his own cafe, Ed’s Espresso Bar, he set about making the Thirroul eatery as pro-kid as possible.
Enter a section dedicated to bubs, complete with lego, pencils and stencils, and books.
Mr Danieli said the bar’s designated ‘‘kids area’’ had become a favourite with mums looking for a place to sip a quick coffee.
‘‘There are so many mums with prams and kids in this area that we’d cut out a whole section of our business if we didn’t cater for them.’’
‘‘The parents always say how much they appreciate it,’’ he said.
‘‘We have a storage space that converts into a baby-change table and high chairs, I only wish we had room to put in more high-chairs.
‘‘I love having the kids running around while I’m making coffee - I can be making a coffee and then tackling some kids, it’s great.’’
Mr Danieli would not comment on other cafes operating with an ‘‘unfriendly child’’ policy, only noting that it was up to each individual eatery how they ran their business.
‘‘I know for us that if we want to flourish, we can’t exclude anyone,’’ he said.
‘‘There are so many mums with prams and kids in this area that we’d cut out a whole section of our business if we didn’t cater for them.’’
The self-confessed Iron Man lover is also a favourite with Marvel Comic fans, who love to come in and gaze at his custom Iron Man wall.
Liesa Kirkwood, Fairy Meadow
Definitely. They need to be for people with kids.
David Burch, Yagoona
I think children should be cafe-friendly. If they are, then that’s fine.
Leon Charlston, Gympie
Parents should learn to control their children. If they don’t like a restaurant’s policy, don’t become a patron of that establishment.
Alan Charlston, Thirroul
Parents should look after their kids. If they do, then it’s okay.