Adults Not Welcome

This is a sign at the entrance to Coram Fields Playground in Bloomsbury, London.

It is the site of the Foundling Hospital, funded by Captain Coram and was an extraordinary charity that was supported by Handel and Hogarth who also used the charity as a means of promoting their own work, so was similar to the Pleasure gardens of Vauxhall.

But the site is now run by a charity aimed at protecting children. I wanted to go and just wander round – to stand where history has happened, but couldn’t find a child to borrow to gain access.

When I complained of this the man on the gate said, children need a place where they can be without adults, so feel safe.

This attitude is wrong on so many levels. If kids really want to be away from adults they should run it themselves., like some of the skate parks.

If they want adults to help raise money, this is a sure fire way to put some of us off.

And where does it end? what if kids are scared of dentists, or women in high heels or men – or women for that matter – with moustaches? Can they be banned for being scary to one of the little darlings?

If I was a paedophile this place would look like a bird to a cat.

Breakfast!