Cafe charged mum 80p for a jug of hot tap water for her baby’s milk

A mum has condemned a cafe which tried to charge her 80p for a jug of hot tap water to warm her baby’s milk.

Gemma Cawte, 31, had spent £9.60 on lunch for herself and and her daughter Bella, five.

But when she asked staff at the Riverside Country Park in Gillingham, Kent for some water to warm the milk for her baby son Jack she was told it would cost 80p.

Gemma had spent all her money buying lunch and was forced to feed the milk cold to five-month-old Jack – and he promptly threw it up.

Gemma, from Chattenden, Kent, said: “I asked for some hot water and they said they couldn’t give me any because of health and safety.

“When I asked if they could put it in some hot water behind the counter instead.

“I was told I would have to pay 80p, the same price as a cup of tea. We had only taken £10 out with us.

“It is madness. I thought they would have been more helpful considering it was a family place.

“The woman in the cafe wasn’t apologetic at all. She just looked at me and said no she couldn’t do it.

“I was angry and upset. I had to give him it cold and he just ended up puking all over me.”

Medway Council said: “The cafe is run under a lease agreement and the council has no control over what they charge.

“Since this has been brought to our attention we have contacted the cafe and asked them to reconsider charging for the warming of baby bottles.”

Gemma, her partner Stuart Boyle, 32, and their two children, said she was glad to hear about the changes.

She added: “I am pleased to hear that the council has asked them to stop charging as they should have a free bottle-warming facility.”