Do any London people know? Or anyone who has been there in the last couple of weeks?

[Ghostlyglow]

What are London pubs/restaurants like on the eat out to help out days?me and DP are there next Tuesday and Wednesday. We can't really commit to specific mealtimes so don't want to have to book, but we've noticed places were we live have been absolutely packed and queuing on those days so we're a bit concerned! It also looks like our go-to emergency food stop (pret) are all on reduced hours or seating areas closed.
It would be Camden or Islington areas probably. Thanks in advance.

I live in one of the areas you mention.

I've not been out myself (young kids so don't go out much anyway ). Anecdotally from people who have been out, I'd say book.

Naice places may not be able to accommodate you / offer the best seats if you go as a walk in (DP went to our local, a lovely but expensive gastro pub, Monday evening and despite there being seats outside he couldn't have them as he hadn't prebooked - although they were empty and unbooked ) booking would avoid any crap like that?

Even chain places like Pizza Express / Waga's / Byron - which I'd never dream of booking - are running at reduced capacity to fill up quickly.

Also Tues and Weds will mean you are here for the eat out to help out/ £10 off deals, so places you'd expect to be empty would be full?

I'd book if you could. Especially Monday - Wednesday.

You can "Pret and Park" it, something we are now very fond of.

There's lots of places around Camden and Islington - they won't all be full although you may not get the discount in all of them.

I'd wing it without a booking.

Due to the Eat Out scheme, many pubs and restaurants in Camden and Islington are fully booked for the whole of August!

If you want to eat out one Mon - Wed I would definitely try to book somewhere now and be prepared that it will be busy.

I don't think booking is possible as we can't really commit to specific times. I'm a bit worried now . Even the sort of mid-afternoon "dead times"?

Lunchtimes are OK on the whole, but dinner times need a reservation in my experience Mon-Wed.

Afternoon dead times will be fine I reckon.

i went to Camden last Wednesday and ate at Rossopomodoro which is an Italian, we just turned up and they had plenty of seats, this was about 8pm though

Went to The Breakfast Club in Borough Market last Saturday - had to wait about fifteen minutes while they sanitised a booth inside but other than that, no masks and everyone socially distancing. Had a bit of a wait for our food but suspect that was bad luck rather than a normal thing.

Is there a way you’ll have an hour or so’s notice of eating? I’ve found that it’s much easier to say, book online on the day at 5pm for 7pm than just walk in at 7.

To be honest though as a Londoner I’ve always tended to prebook anyway, even pre-Covid... hate having to wander around central when I have somewhere in mind for dinner!

Why on earth can't you commit to meal times? You have to eat.

It's just the way it is now.

Thanks. Think we're just going to wing it, maybe message a couple of our usual places on the day, just to check.
What are the pubs like in the evenings? Are they still open for "normal" hours? Some of the ones around here are shutting at around 9pm!

Middle of the afternoon is ok here (not London) but after 6pm forget it, everywhere is fully booked for August mon-wed unless they are walk in no bookings

Normal pub opening hours.

@Sootikinstew because we're there for a short time and want to be able to relax, and do what we feel like doing at the time, not plan the whole day around getting to a specific place for lunch/dinner at a specific time.

... in which case you risk not finding anywhere to eat!

Everywhere we've been recently (SW London) you have to book - even at so-called dead times.

It can't really be impossible to make specific bookings surely?

I suppose it was obvious that anything organised by this government in these times would be something that just made our miserable covid lives even more miserable!
I have been amazed here, where I live, how many people who were too scared to leave their houses suddenly lost that fear when they could save a tenner! (I'm in Yorkshire, though, so maybe not too surprising )

@Ghostlyglow

I suppose it was obvious that anything organised by this government in these times would be something that just made our miserable covid lives even more miserable! I have been amazed here, where I live, how many people who were too scared to leave their houses suddenly lost that fear when they could save a tenner! (I'm in Yorkshire, though, so maybe not too surprising )

I'm no fan of the government (huge understatement) but the Eat Out to Help Out scheme has been a real success, and helps out an industry that has been really struggling - as well as benefiting consumers.

How on earth you can construe it is something to make lives more miserable I really don't know!

It should be a good thing. I was listening to LBC last week and people in the hospitality industry weren't all full of praise for the scheme. I suppose people only ring radio shows to complain, though.
I just hate the idea have having to book everything and queue up everywhere. It is miserable. What is left of life now is, on the whole, pretty miserable.

because we're there for a short time and want to be able to relax, and do what we feel like doing at the time, not plan the whole day around getting to a specific place for lunch/dinner at a specific time.

That doesn’t work this summer. Booking will be a lot less stressful than not booking and not being able to find anywhere.

The weather is also going to be rubbish next week so outside tables won’t work, cutting numbers even more

Really quiet in Camden Town today. You can walk in anywhere