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Original poster

What fresh hell is this? National VE day

842 replies

wetpants · 03/05/2020 10:07

This has popped up on my local FB page, villagers are all up for it too. Apparently it’s a nationwide incentive??

The thing is, most front gardens are tiny or non existent here. There’s no way you could be 2m away from your next door. Also these villagers who are up for this are the same people who few weeks ago cried about a lone bloke sitting on a crass verge, well away from any pedestrians. How is this any different?

I’m not British (have lived here a long time though) so maybe I’m just not getting the fervent VE day misty eyeness Confused

And don’t get me started on 9pm nationwide singalong Shock WHO comes up with these things???

What fresh hell is this? National VE day
OP posts:
PhilSwagielka · 05/05/2020 14:46

I was thinking in terms of people from different houses coming together. As opposed to people who already live together anyway.

vanillandhoney · 05/05/2020 14:53

No one can tell me that everyone will social distance. Tables out on the road with booze on, telling Tom opposite to come over and have a beer, children running around with each other, then wanting a go on the trampoline in a back garden, bbq doling out sausages etc. I think it is all very short sighted indeed

Yep. No way will social distancing be maintained. As soon as people start drinking it will all go tits up. Luckily it's impossible to do on our street as nobody as front gardens and the road is too narrow to have any kind of party held on it!

In general, though, all those pushing for big street parties are the same ones shaming people for not clapping for the NHS Hmm

skybright59 · 05/05/2020 15:10

They are putting up bunting on the other side of the street and the neighdoir guy has just gone over there with his ladders
..no social distancing going on there I can assure you

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 05/05/2020 16:40

I don’t even have bunting...

I feel i may be patriotisming wrong

Firef1y72 · 05/05/2020 17:10

If anyone decides to start singing on the street at 9pm I'll be fuming, the noise at 8pm on a Thursday is bad enough what with it being bedtime, but 9pm is ridiculous. It's hard enough getting my boys in bed without that.

BlueBrian · 05/05/2020 17:23

None of this crap where I live, thank fuck, nobody's planning or doing anything, it's a main road so can't be shut for a party anyway, even if anybody wanted to, which is unlikely.

UndertheCedartree · 05/05/2020 17:57

Putting aside whether you agree with it/ want to join in etc.

It seems a pretty devisive celebration considering only those with front gardens and ones that are big enough can join in. So all those with no gardens that are struggling already will have another reminder that they have no garden space!

We have a small back garden but no front garden. It won't really affect us as we wouldn't join in with the front garden party anyway. But I feel sorry for those that would like to.

My DC have been learning about WW2 the last couple of weeks. On Friday I think we'll do the silence and watch something educational on the tv. Then the DC are going to make scones and we'll have them with jam and make a 'toast' to my grandparents.

StoneofDestiny · 05/05/2020 21:32

Makes you think if some people can't tell the difference between VE Day, D Day and Dunkirk what the hell they are flag waving for. Some don't seem able to distinguish between England, GB, UK or Allied forces.

BackforGood · 05/05/2020 21:59

No way will social distancing be maintained. As soon as people start drinking it will all go tits up

The leaflet I've seen, and theinvitations on social media locally are all inviting people to a 'picnic on their porch'. We're all having tea and cake not booze.

It seems a pretty devisive celebration considering only those with front gardens and ones that are big enough can join in.

We don't have a front garden. We have a small slbbed area you can just get a car on sideways. We'll put the car on the road and a table and a couple of deckchairs there. We won't be within 6 feet of anyone walking past, not our next door neighbours.
I agree this still means it isn't possible in blocks of flats or in the terraces of the mining villages (though woul be thre is only half the street are joining in), but you can't go through life not doing anything because not everyone has the same opportunity as you.

Roussette · 06/05/2020 09:26

We're all having tea and cake not booze

Do you think that is what everyone is doing given that it's going on in the evening too? There is no way booze won't be involved for a lot of roads.

eleventy3isthemagicnumber · 06/05/2020 11:16

My local facebook group is full of people sharing tips on where to get bunting, flags etc including people saying they've been to loads of shops hunting for it.

Surely not essential journeys?

This is the same Facebook group that's usually full of people over-egging the rules and having a go at people for not exercising right.

PhilSwagielka · 06/05/2020 12:06

Can't they make their own? But then I guess that would mean shopping for craft supplies. Paper and stuff.

BeardedMum · 06/05/2020 18:59

Oh no I received my invite to our street party today. I like my neighbours to have a quick chat to but nothing more. How do you get out of it when everyone knows you are at home.

BabbleBee · 06/05/2020 19:02

My grandfather refused to acknowledge VE Day. He used to say it only reinforced that he and his fellow Burma PoWs were the forgotten soldiers... war was not over and shouldn’t have been celebrated until it truly was.

CrusoePoll · 06/05/2020 19:06

Doesn’t signify much for my family. VE Day meant nothing for my Grandfather a Japanese POW. VJ Day marks the end of the war but always gets ignored.

1forsorrow · 06/05/2020 19:08

Do you think that is what everyone is doing given that it's going on in the evening too? There is no way booze won't be involved for a lot of roads. The road I lived in had a street party for Charles and Di's wedding. The local bobby dropped in, several hours later someone had to phone the station and say his radio had packed up but he was going off duty. In fact he was so drunk he couldn't operate his radio. There was a lot of booze flowing at that street party.

StoneofDestiny · 06/05/2020 19:42

Doesn’t signify much for my family. VE Day meant nothing for my Grandfather a Japanese POW. VJ Day marks the end of the war but always gets ignored

Yes - that is true.

BabbleBee · 06/05/2020 20:48

@CrusoePoll - same here. The day everyone was celebrating my grandad was still being tortured. It made no sense to him.

HairyFloppins · 06/05/2020 21:09

I'm dreading this. I think it could cause a massive spike in cases in two weeks time.

BackforGood · 06/05/2020 21:10

We're all having tea and cake not booze

Do you think that is what everyone is doing given that it's going on in the evening too? There is no way booze won't be involved for a lot of roads

No. But just pointing out that "everyone" isn't getting paralytic at a shared BBQ either. Everybody who is joining in, is doing things differently, at different times of day in different ways. Obviously lots and lots of people don't want to join in. that is fine too. There will be some people who might have liked to have joined in, but they can't on this occasion - that is a shame. There will be lots of people having a picnic or having a tea and not having any booze. There will be lots of people who might have a beer or a glass of wine or prossecco or Pimms, but will do so without getting senseless. I'm also sure that there will be people who will drink too much, but potentially they will drink too much without this particular hook to hang it on.

Doobydoo · 06/05/2020 21:18

It is bollocks and is partly covering up the ineptitude of Tory governance. The people.I know involving themselves..do the clap, break the lockdown,and vote Tory.

saints06 · 06/05/2020 21:19

I think one reason why Mr Johnson is waiting until Sunday to announce any changes is to see what people do on Friday. When the restrictions were introduced it was portrayed a bit as some people being irresponsible over the previous weekend, and so if he has decided to keep most of them, no doubt some party will be used by him as part of the excuse to keep them.

The idea of a party even if all restrictions were to go seems in poor taste in any case, given over 30,000 deaths from Covid 19 in recent weeks.

Original poster
wetpants · 08/05/2020 15:57

Well, the run up to this day actually wasn’t too bad. But today on village FB page, there’s already been post “so disappointed on our street” posts. Reminders from the local bossy boots to be on your doorstep at 11am and some houses have blocked an entire section of the pavement with bins and table for their picnic (and booze). So anyone who actually needs to walk anywhere, has to step on the road to get past these morons.

OP posts:
puffinandkoala · 08/05/2020 18:32

Our road are having a street party but we weren't invited. Obviously reported by the coronastasi for not clapping on a Thursday night - or they've seen the odd German car on our driveway when friends have visited! Or both.

DH and I went out to do the shopping (to separate shops next to each other) and I was glad I didn't walk back with my haul as when we went out nobody was there, and when we drove back everyone was out and I would have had to have run the gauntlet.

boylovesmeerkats · 08/05/2020 18:34

Oh yes they've been out all day since 11am. I've hidden inside.

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