To go in to Manchester tonight

[rambleon123]

Have had a meal planned with friends and partners for a while and tonight is the night.

The restaurant is in Manchester and up until now I hadn't even thought of cancelling and neither had friends. Work colleagues seem to think I'm crazy for venturing anywhere near Manchester after what's happened.

WIBU to go? And U to rearrange? I still want to go to be fair, but colleagues have freaked me out!

You would not be unreasonable to go, and I wouldn't be cancelling!

I Imagine Manchester has added security at the moment due to the tragic event that happened, it's probably one of the safest times to go tbh.

What do they think will happen? That guy is dead and more have been arrested. Do they think another one will be targetting restaurants?

I am sitting in my office in the centre of Manchester as I type. My husband is at another office in Manchester. DD1 is at her school, you guessed it, in Manchester.

Take no notice of your colleagues.

Go. Colleagues are being irrational.

Life is going on in Manchester, as it should do. I don't think you should cancel.

Businesses in Manchester (and everywhere else) still have to make money to keep going and pay their staff. They need people to come in to the shops and restaurants and other venues.

Hey, we're still open for business here! We've got increased security but people are still going about their daily lives in the city centre. A few roads are closed but what we really need is people to come in as they had planned and celebrate our great city!

The last 36 hours have been heart breaking. I never thought this would happen so close to home but seeing the people come together in the face of such tragedy has been beautiful. So... come join us xxx

You should do what you feel comfortable with op.

You should go. Manchester is still open and we are all at work as normal. When do you think it will be safe? Tomorrow? Next week? Next year? Never?

During the Blitz in 1940-41people were still working and eating out and going to nightclubs in London every single day and night. Sometimes thousands of people died in a single night of air-raids. On one single night 1436 people died.

This is an extreme comparison but shows that our perception of risk fluctuates.

You will almost certainly be safer in Manchester tonight than you were in ththe days before the bomb because of all the security on the streets.

I would have thought you would be safer there now than you might have been last week to be honest.
Its horrible what has gone on and I feel so bad for the parents and loved ones that have lost members of their family -yesterday and the coming days for them will be so hard. I cant imagine how hard it will be and my heart goes out to them all.

but life does have to go on. We dont have much choice in the matter.

Two of the victims live in the next village to me. My friend and her 12 year old were there and a girl in DS class came to school with bruises on her face yesterday from the crush. Brave girl.
I'm due to fly out from Manchester airport on Saturday, a little apprehensive maybe but not much more than usual. Surely Manchester (along with London) are the most well-policed cities at the moment.

Your colleagues are idiots.

You were right in the first place.

I live and work in Manchester and I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a little nervous, it's so close to home. But there's no way I can spend the rest of my life not leaving my house and I know that I'm no more or less at risk today than next week or the week after.

Manchester is a great city and I presume you don't intend to never come here again so personally I'd not change plans as otherwise you risk it being something you put off and your anxiety around it will build. Plenty of people are in the city today...shopping, working, going for lunch etc and I imagine some of them feel nervous too, but they are otherwise okay.

YANBU. Life goes on and another incident could occur anywhere. I grew up in Belfast in the 80's and we just got on with it, otherwise you'd never have left the house.

I grew up in Belfast in the 80's and we just got on with it, otherwise you'd never have left the house. I was talking to a German friend yesterday about this. We grew up with the IRA, Baader-Meinhof, Red Army, tons of European terrorist groups, ETA. Our parents had the war. My Libyan neighbours lived with kidnappings and bombs.

We are actually incredibly safe in terms of when and where we live. Almost everywhere and -when is more dangerous. We should be grateful and happy instead of scared.

Thanks all, I'm deffo going! Colleagues make me think again for about 5 mins before I reminded myself, Manchester is my second home and I will never abandon it!

You might find it a bit quiet OP, I called to cancel a table for tomorrow (other reasons) and they told me they'd had nearly all their bookings for the rest of the week cancel.

Atmosphere might be a but different, but im glad you're doing what you're comfortable with.

I've had similar from colleagues today about flying away for holiday this half term. Are you sure you really should fly now etc. 🙄

Go! Enjoy!

Go and have fun.

I am running the half marathon there on Sunday, it is going to be an odd Atmosphere compared to usual I would expect but I will still be there

I can't explain the atmosphere, but it was actually quite nice to be in a place where others also felt the same way, very sad about what had happened but together with the person next to you. Went to lay flowers in the Square and was humbled by random people comforting one another. This is the reason I love Manchester. DH also ran on Saturday and came home once again saying how much he loves Manchester. Hate will never win. Not there.

Best thing you can do is keep going about your normal business, it might be hard but if you let it stop you then the bastards win. Go and enjoy your night.