Wetherspoon

My wife, my twelve year old son and I had not eaten as we had been travelling. For convenience, we decided to visit the Wetherspoon pub in Barry (Sir Charles Romilly 5-6-24) for our evening meal and a drink.
We found a vacant table (of which there were many.) Table 23 which was about five metres from the bar. We took around five to ten minutes to decide on our meal and drink choices. I went to the bar and tried to place our order. At this point, there was no problem and the food was ordered. I was just going through the drinks and asked for a mineral water for my young son, when the lady taking the order asked if any of our party were under aged eighteen. I told her that my son was and she then said that she could not serve us as my son is under eighteen.
I was absolutely outraged and complained strongly. She told me that children were not allowed in the pub, i think she said after 8.30. The time was not even 8.30pm anyway. The staff also had a clear view of us when we entered the pub and sat down. Nothing was said at that point. I would have still been annoyed if it had, but they let us sit there and said nothing, then took the bulk of the order at the bar.
Even if this is their policy (which i find outrageous, bizarre and discriminatory to children and families,) they must have noticed us and had ample opportunity to say something, rather than wasting our time and denying us a meal when we were hungry.
I asked to speak to the manager and briefly complained to her. She also said that because we would be in the pub after 8.30, then we would be in breach of their rule. A rule, which i might add, appears to be unwritten anywhere i could find on their notices. We checked the front door and windows and there was no mention of children not being allowed to eat after a given time. And even if there was any notice, it's still an absolute outrage.
We left the pub. My young son was very upset and in tears. My deaf partner and i were very upset too. It created a difficulty in explaining to her what had happened.
I'm not sure how your system works, but i really think the staff in the pub need to do a lot better. Even if that is their unfathomable rule, it needs to be made clear to them that they should adopt a more flexible and inclusive approach to customer service.
As a result of this incident, i'm unlikely to be taking my family to a Wetherspoons pubs ever again.