To worry for Chinese business owners at the moment.

[BirdieFriendBadge]

After a couple of my friends are refusing to order their normal take aways.

I'd like to know the % of people who will be thinking twice about eating in Chinese restaurants or visiting Chinese supermarkets or China Town etc.

How do you feel about such things at the moment?

I'm a small business owner and the impact of attitudes like this could really hurt small business like take-aways and restaurants.

But on the flip side I'm not sure if I'm going to be rushing to our local Chinese bakery at the moment either. Which makes me feel bad.

I’d imagine they won’t be affected much - at least not in larger cities. I was in Chinatown in London yesterday and had lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Soho which was fully booked and no one seemed to be unduly worried. The corona virus may have originated in China but I doubt people would be avoiding eating at Chinese restaurants because of it.

Bloody hell! I had no idea people were being so ridiculous. I think it's absolutely right that the authorities take precautions to prevent a pandemic (as this is certainly something that could happen now or in the future) but the risk to any of us as individuals is negligable at this point and certainly not increased by ordering a bloody Chinese take away!

Do you mean because of the Corona virus? It wouldn’t occur to me to not order from a U.K. business run by Chinese people living and working in the U.K.

Your friends don't sound very bright tbh

You need brighter friends.

Went into a Chinese food shop on Saturday. Never entered my head that I shouldn't do this.

Your friends will probably die of stupidity before Corona.....

Phew thanks.

No it was two (rather dramatic) members of a larger friendship group who I think had maybe already been a but hysterical about it with one another before our group conversation.

I mentioned we'd had Chinese to celebrate Lunar New Year and got a "hope you made it at home!" Comment.

Glad to hear China Town was still as busy. We were there last weekend and was crowded but the news has ramped up since.

it wouldn’t occur to me to not order from a U.K. business run by Chinese people living and working in the U.K.

Same. Your friends sounds dim op

Fucking hell - how daft are your friends?!

We went out to Chinatown in Liverpool today for the lunar new year - it was packed. So no, I don’t worry about uk businesses.

Sounds like when my 3yo son worried about bush fires in Australia ( that was 27 years ago!). Do what we did and show them on a globe how far away China is.

Their logic is they're more likely to have recently travelled to China or have relatives visiting etc.

I mean, I see where they're coming from, but everyone tested negative in the UK so far. So we've been enjoying our prawn toast as normal.

When I was in Boots yesterday the member of staff told me they were being asked for face masks from people going to Chinese restaurants.

Wait. What?!

They'll go and eat food.....but want to wear a mask....

That's hilarious.

I mean. Depressing. But so much so I find it funny.

What?! That's madness and really silly!

When I was in Boots yesterday the member of staff told me they were being asked for face masks from people going to Chinese restaurants.

I bet one million pounds those face masks were made in China. A fool and his money...

Do your friends have any legitimate reasons for that OP , what is your own rationale for not visiting your 'Chinese' bakery? Unless it's situated in Wuhan then any effect on your local businesses which are owned by people of Chinese descent will be entirely down to people like you, thinking nonsense like this.

You do realise that people of various nationalities (including probably yourself) will continue to consume various items exported from China, that any nationality of person can have or host a virus and that people of chinese descent in the UK can be UK citizens and may never have even been to China, let alone to the epicentre of the breakout. Such bigoted nonsense. Anyone could have it- it's a virus, it spreads and does not discriminate- unlike you and your friends.

How would that even work? You would have to take the mask off to eat..and why...

Went to Chinatown in London yesterday and had to queue outside everywhere for a table. Couldn't move in the streets around there as it was so packed. We ended up eating Mexican food elsewhere as we gave up trying to get in at any of the Chinese places. I don't think the business owners need to worry too much.

Your friends will probably die of stupidity before Corona.....

Made me laugh out loud.

Really? Im going to a chinese restaurant on tuesday , theres about 25 of us and i hadnt even thought about it

@dontgobaconmyheart

I have no rationale. I must have been taken in by their "what if family have come to visit and they're from that part of China" hysteria.

I'm going to go there tomorrow now. As I see it's fucking ridiculous of me.

Could do with a moon cake or two. ☺️

How stupid can people be? People in China are getting the infection is not because they’re Chinese but because they are being exposed to the virus. Could some posters please engage there brains, you local Chinese restaurant or take-away is perfectly safe!

Stay away from me then! My DB goes to China frequently on business...

Honestly, I can't even. Do they think that everyone who works in a Chinese restaurant swans off to China every weekend? How do people become so ignorant?