Holiday makers

[Zaphodsotherhead]

I live in quite a touristy area and work in a shop.

Since Easter we've had increasing numbers of people in that we swear are people on holiday from 'distant regions'. We don't recognise them as locals, they've got accents from other places, and they tend to come in in couples or as families (we try to stop them but we are very small and can't have someone on the door full time, not enough staff).

I don't really have any beef with people wanting to get away, the weather has been spectacular and they can, of course, drive about as much as they want (although we are a long way from being a day trip from London). But where are they staying? Hotels are shut, caravan parks are shut, holiday cottages aren't operating...although I have seen a few camper vans parked up in people's driveways, maybe they are letting family park on their land for a few days away?

I'm not frothing at the mouth about it, if people want to travel I'm fine with that, but I'm mostly curious. Or are they just having really really long day trips out?

I clicked No for enable voting, so I've no idea why it's still enabled.... don't vote.

I'm pretty sure you're going to get your arse handed to you very shortly

I don't think people should be travelling 100s of miles when there are few if any eating or toilet facilities open, and you can't stay anywhere.

HOWEVER I really do think YABU with this post. People are travelling three or four hours somewhere, spending the day, then going home. Some are using campervans, there were plenty pictured in Devon. Some are probably staying illegally somewhere.

If your shop is open, how will you differentiate? Will you ask for people to spend a "local pound" like Peckham tried? It all seems a bit silly this curtain-twitching stuff.

Boris and the government were 100% wrong to not restrict people's range of movement re trips. A 30 mile radius, I don't know, but just allowing this free for all is inevitably going to lead to people taking huge trips across the country, then failing to social distance when they realise they're not the only ones.

However if you happen to live in one of those areas, this is how it is. Your shop is getting custom. Many others aren't. Be pleased about this small mercy.

In short, you have a shop. It's open to all you allow through onto your premises.

It's up to you how you differentiate if at all. Or you can accept that the bigger footfall is as a result of misguided and over-hasty politics from a puppy of a Prime Minister desperate to lift mood over safety.

I don't think people should travel so far. But it's beside the point.

we try to stop them

What do you mean? How do you try to stop them?

I've got a southern accent but I live in the NW, been here 25 years and I'd class myself as local. Just because they have accents doesn't mean they aren't local now.

We try to stop people coming in as whole families, Bleep like every other shop. We don't stop people from 'away' coming, of course we don't, we'd have no business if we did that.

My question is - where are they staying?

We are a tiny tiny rural community. Believe me, we know the locals!

And Unfinished if people read the post properly I have no reason to think I will get my arse handed to me.

I'm asking where these people are staying. I've got no problem with them travelling at all.

Maybe they are passing through? Or visiting relatives?

Can you strike up a conversation and ask them where they are staying? Then come back and tell us, as I'm curious now too

It's hard to work 'and where you are you staying?' into the conversation without sounding rude and confrontational though! The only people I have asked have been on day trips out (some considerable distance, but they came from a big city so I can't blame them for wanting some fresh air and rural tranquility).

If they visit relatives then they can't stay with them, can they? Unless they are all going to stay together for the foreseeable - which I guess they may be.