Help - need a base for the day in N.London THIS FRIDAY!

[londondilemma]

My dad is having a minor operation on Friday (still going ahead apparently) as a day patient at St Johns Wood & Elizabeth Hospital.

Their original plan was my mum would accompany him in a taxi and wait at the hospital or local cafe/restaurant but neither of which will be an option in lockdown. It's an 1.5 hour drive so coming back in between is neither time wise or financially viable but at nearly 80 so won't be up for walking the streets and will invariably need the toilet! Any ideas where she could base herself for the day? She'd happily book a hotel room but they've rung 3 that are walking distance to the hospital and they are either completely closed or only open for key workers.

Not ideal but is there a cafe in the hospital that will be open?

What does the hospital advise? If he needs to be driven home, then they will have to give her somewhere to wait surely?

Otherwise I guess she could go to Morrison's in Camden. There are toilets there which I assume are still open. She could sit in her car and go in for some food and the loo?

They are going in a taxi so no car to wait in and from what I can gather, hospital is totally out of bounds to her - only those being admitted can enter! My mum said she rang the consultants secretary & she couldn't help but I know they won't have done any more than ask if there's a visitors room she can use (there isn't) hence I'm trying to come up with a solution. Thanks for the suggestions though.

What about seeing if she could book a meeting room with a company like Regus as those can be booked by the hour. They normally have kitchen access and loos. If she has a laptop or tablet she could just watch netflix or something.

Wouldn’t she be much better off just waiting at home?

@imarocketman50 that's a great idea I'll definitely look into that as it's business use it might be exempt from lockdown. I'm also going to try the hospital myself tomorrow as I agree they must surely have somewhere for people in this situation - he isn't allowed on public transport (infection/covid risk) and can't drive so or leave unaccompanied and surely not everyone lives around the corner !

Does she really need to go? It could be a really tough day for someone of her age with nowhere warm, dry and comfortable to wait.

At our local teaching hospital (in Wales) the concourse has remained open with cafes, WHSmith etc open and selling ‘essentials’ but it’s not the most comfortable of places and not somewhere I would encourage anyone to stay if they really don’t need to (there are nearly 60 covid positive patients in the hospital).

Cross posts op. Sorry!

I think he might have to go by himself to be realistic.

The Primrose Bakery used to be near there, they had seats and a very cosy little tea room. Look it up, it might still be there.

Sorry, also crossposted.

Also there are separate meeting room hubs you can book, sometimes you can book a desk in a group room or a separate room for yourself.

I used to use the ones at kings cross hub but there are others.

There are a couple of churches nearby - Abbey Road baptist and St Marks. It might be worth calling them and asking if they’d be open for her to sit while she waits?

The royal college of gynaecologists have rooms too, they will definitely be quiet.

possibly @PineconeOfDoom but she's understandably worried and wants to be with him- he's not been at all well these past few months and this is a series of pretty invasive tests/procedures under GA and the thought of him travelling up on his own without incident and then coming out & home on his own fills me with panic too (they are on pre-op Covid isolation or I'd just try & work out a way of going!)

Is she happy to be outside? If so, I'd probably just go and sit in the park (Regent's Park or Primrose Hill). Some of the coffee/food places on St John's Wood High Street will still be doing takeaway I imagine based on last lockdown.

Airbnb? Clearly not going to be very busy with tourists atm. Someone nearby may have somewhere you can book for your mum to stay and probably less risk than a restaurant or pub would have been.

Thank you all some great suggestions - will look into them and report back.

John and Lizzie's doesn't really have anywhere to wait really - the only coffee shop is basically in the lobby as you go in and they are pretty strict on who they let in. It's also a hospice so they are very careful. Even in non Covid times, there was nowhere for my husband to wait when I had surgery there. There is an NHS GP practice with a waiting area but last time I was there, it was strictly for people with appointments and you weren't even allowed in the door without one.

I’m just thinking that restaurants/eateries will all be closed to public due to the new restrictions... hotel/bnb then taxi to collect him will probably be her best bet.

If your mum can't be there to take him home, the hospital will have to provide transportation. Definitely ask them about this.

There is nowhere to wait in the hospital except the chapel!

If she isn't driving him, honestly I think he should just go in the taxi on his own. Or it might be cheaper to hire a car than to get a 3 hour taxi!

@loutypips - it's a private hospital.

@loutypips - it's a private hospital.

@loutypips

If your mum can't be there to take him home, the hospital will have to provide transportation. Definitely ask them about this.

NHS hospitals do patient transport, but not sue private ones do.