Annabel Tooke's letter headlined, 'Outing spoiled by theatre's policy on babies' (South China Morning Post, June 5) questions the Academy for Performing Arts' policy on ticketed admission.
Under the conditions of our Places of Public Entertainment Licence we must not exceed the specified maximum number of persons in each venue.
Unfortunately the law makes no exception for infants - they must be counted, whether occupying a seat or not.
Attendance is controlled within the legal limits by ensuring that no one is admitted to the auditorium without a ticket. Mrs Tooke's dispute with our duty manager seems to have arisen from an assumption that free admission for infants is, or should be, commonplace in live performance venues.
However, presenters and venue managements generally don't encourage parents to bring babies to concerts or performances because of the risk of noise distraction to performers and to other patrons.
The age limit under which persons are not admitted to a particular event is shown on the front of every ticket sold through the Urbtix system. This age limit is set by the presenter in consideration of an event's sensitivity to noise distraction from children and babies in the audience, as well as its suitability for young persons. Nevertheless, at performances specifically for young children, the academy usually exercises discretion by admitting parents with under-age infants, on the understanding that if the baby cries or makes a noise they will come out to the foyer. This flexible approach is out of consideration for parents attending with children either side of the age limit, such as Mrs Tooke.
