Forget binge drinkers � a new generation of �baby lager louts� has been hailed as the biggest bugbear of pub goers today.

Forget binge drinkers - a new generation of "baby lager louts" has been hailed as the biggest bugbear of pub goers today.

Editors of The Good Pub Guide 2009 have received a record number of complaints from readers about visits to their local watering hole being spoilt by badly behaved children.

Children are being made more welcome in many pubs which provide toys and entertainment so that their parents can steal a moment of relaxation, but many establishments resist welcoming young customers, to keep a more grown-up atmosphere.

But feedback from guide readers revealed that unchecked children were increasingly disturbing the experiences of pub customers across the UK.

Alasdair Aird, joint editor of the guide, said that more readers than ever before had complained about unruly children ruining their pub visits.

He said: "This is a peculiarly British problem. In continental restaurants and cafes, it's normal to see families with children, not normal to see kids spoil things for grown-ups.

"So we have considerable sympathy with the landlord of one charming Sussex pub who told us that he had decided it just didn't suit children', as he didn't want to do plates of chips or burgers and didn't want to have to look after customers' children while they had a meal and a few drinks."

Despite the backlash, Fiona Stapley, co-editor of The Good Pub Guide 2009, said that the majority of pubs in the guide are child friendly.

"Most pubs nowadays have to be," she said. "Otherwise they run the risk of alienating a huge amount of customers. The complaints we dealt with were mainly to do with pubs where people had gone to have a quiet drink or something to eat and children were running amok, which doesn't happen all the time."

Noting the gripes of many customers, Mr Aird said that there was no easy solution to the problem.

"It's easy to say that we could start treating parents who let their children run riot with the disdain normally reserved for lager louts.

"But would that have any impact on people who think they are entitled to a thoroughly relaxed family day out? And you can imagine the retort when a publican asks a badly behaved family to quieten their children - We've just spent over 50 quid here, do you want us to leave without paying?'"

The Good Pub Guide said yesterday that no complaints had been made about children from customers of pubs in Scotland.

Of the 37 Scottish main entries, the guide shows that 32 welcome children in some part of their pub or restaurant.

The national award for Whisky Pub of the Year went to the Port Charlotte Hotel on Islay, for its "ambiance, choice of whisky and friendly staff."

Graham Allison, 54, runs the hotel with his wife Isabelle, 51.

"We heard the news last week and we are delighted," he said.

"We offer 140 Islay malts in our pub which is quite unique. From a tourist perspective, we also have traditional music sessions and songs are sung in Gaelic in the pub."

In response to the "baby lager lout" complaints, Mr Allison said he caters for all customers and had not experienced any negative feedback about children.

"We are family orientated with a capital F, we have to be because we are on an island."

This year's winner of the Pub of The Year 2009 award was the Golden Heart, near Brimpsfield, Gloucestershire, for its "affordable food, good beers, welcoming atmosphere and bags of character".

Now in its 27th year and released yesterday, the guide provides up-to-date information on more than 55,000 pubs across the country.

Family friendly
Scotland's listed family friendly pubs: Ailean Chraggan, Weem; Babbity Bowster, Glasgow; Wheatsheaf, Swinton; Fishermans Tavern, Broughty Ferry; Four Marys, Linlithgow; Starbank, Edinburgh; Selkirk Arms, Kirkcudbright; Counting House, Glasgow; Abbotsford, Edinburgh; Cross Keys, Kippen; Kilberry Inn, Kilberry; Old Inn, Gairloch; Border, Kirk, Yetholm; Badachro Inn, Badachro; Stein Inn, Stein; Laurie Arms, Haugh of Urr; Lion and Unicorn, Thornhill; Bon Accord, Glasgow; Steam Packet, Isle of Whithorn; Masonic Arms, Gatehouse of Fleet; Kays Bar, Edinburgh; Applecross Inn, Applecross; Traquair Arms, Innerleithen; Fox and Hounds, Houston; Moulin, Pitlochry; Meikleour Hotel, Meikleour; Tigh an Eilean Hotel, Shieldaig; Plockton Hotel, Plockton; George Hotel, Inveraray; Lade, Kilmahog; Port Charlotte Hotel, Port Charlotte; Ship Inn, Elie