DH wants to invite people to stay in our garden

[AhhCorona]

DH wants to invite colleagues & kids who live in London to camp in our rural garden.
We supply the tent, bedding, food for their visit. They use separate bathroom but will inevitably end up in downstairs of house.

YABU yes they should stay, share the local beaches, no danger, socially acceptable.
YANBU crazy idea, the kids havent seen their friends & family and you want us to host a work colleague

They have approached him.

Yeah small flat etc etc isn't great but that doesn't mean you have to feel guilty and put them up for the weekend they can take the kids to the park.

This is just another twisted interpretation of the rules (I hate the term 'the rules' but let's not fuck about, that's where we're at at the moment).

I'm feeling a bit pissed off at the 'it's ok for us to do it' shit I keep seeing. A colleague has been very vocal about how her kids will not be going back to school soon as it's too soon to lift lockdown restrictions etc. Yet, she's posted on sm about going to the bloody coast yesterday to see her sister, nephews and dad. All photos together (kids sitting on their grandad's knee) about how lovely it is to finally see them. Posted this morning about not looking forward to the drive home so they stayed over as well. I'm not a curtain twitcher by any means but you can't just cherry pick the bits that suit.

I live in a city and have adult DC who now live rurally. NO WAY would I ask to camp in their garden!

Why do people have to stretch the rules when given an inch? No this isn't allowed, he knows it and needs to grow up

The "no overnight stays" applies to gardens as well as homes.

What is it about lockdown that it has made everyone desperate to go to a beach? I really don't get it. Oh well, I don't suppose I have to, but it's strange.

So they approached him to feed them provide a tent sleeping bags use of your downstairs toilet ? Cheeky feckers

No because it's against the law. Maybe later in the summer when it isn't against the law and people are allowed to stay away from home if you're happy with this.

@Chipsandgin at the moment the R number in London is substantially lower than most of the rest of the country. People from London are more likely to pick Covid up by travelling than bring it with them.

It's not just the tent and bedding to consider either. You will need to supply all the plates, cutlery, (probably towels), at least two meals a day, possibly more depending on what's open in your locality. Then factor in a deep clean after every trip to the loo by the visitors. Although it sounds like a nice gesture, the practicalities are just too much. And also...it's not fair on your community. They choose to live in London. You choose to live elsewhere, that's the way the mop flops!

share the local beaches
So I go to my local beach and have to share it with someone who has come from a corona hotspot? How selfish. They need to stay where they are! The beaches aren’t yours to share - are you going to ask all the locals if they’re happy to share their beach with people from London?

anyone able to risk assess and understand the actual case figures would see this as a really bad idea, even if it wasn't against the rules.

also a massive mix of households. You are legally limited to six people anyway.

get contact traced, get housebound for 14 days even if you don't get ill. Why would you want that?

Posted this morning about not looking forward to the drive home so they stayed over as well.

Breaking the rules is one thing. Telling everyone you’re doing it is a whole new level of stupid.

The beaches aren’t yours to share - are you going to ask all the locals if they’re happy to share their beach with people from London?

Why do you think London is a coronavirus hotspot?

YANBU. I wouldn't bring up the issue of work colleagues vs family: just that this sort of thing is still banned, and you could get into a lot of trouble for it, not to mention that you don't want to catch coronavirus!

@Rhodri

share the local beaches So I go to my local beach and have to share it with someone who has come from a corona hotspot? How selfish. They need to stay where they are! The beaches aren’t yours to share - are you going to ask all the locals if they’re happy to share their beach with people from London?

You can travel anywhere in England right now. Beaches are public property - locals don't get to decide that other people aren't allowed to use them too!

London also has an incredibly low infection rate right now.

And when it pisses down/gets cold/the kids are frightened by a fox or badger, they come in and sleep in your house, as your husband won't suddenly say 'Oh, but you can't come in'.

It's ridiculous at any time.

Was going to make the same point as SorrelBlackBeak about the R rate in London being among the lowest now. The different R rates in each region are all the more reason for people not to travel too far. The weather is lovely now but you can guarantee that the minute the tent is erected, it will pour with rain. You just could not keep things separate enough to argue that they are in a separate household. Actually, I thought camping was not permitted at all at the moment - aren't even the caravan sites closed? Sounds like a cheeky free holiday request!

Have people actually looked at the figures for London? They're hilariously tiny. London is about the least infected part of the UK right now.

Everyone has people who are in a better situation than them right now. Colleague thinks your DH is. But we aren't all required to compensate for those who have it worse. Some of it is life choices (where you live, how many kids to have,) and some of it is luck (how old those children happen to be when pandemic strikes). But they need to suck it up - you aren't saying family friends, but DH colleague and family. Ooh, I can use a Mumsnet acronym - CF!

If they were close friends I would let them - but work colleagues no

Cheeky fecking people aren't they? "Can we come camp in your garden? You'll need to provide everything and we will need a bathroom too. Thanks."

I'd say no even in normal times OP.

This might start out with all the best intentions of social distancing, staying outside, 2M apart, washing hands etc....but I GUARANTEE you, that it won’t end up like that! At first there’ll be a small breach and before you know it people will be shrugging and probably a bit drunk etc and not caring. This stupidity could cost lives, please don’t agree.

‘No, that doesn’t work for us at the moment’. There’s no need to give any further explanation as the work colleague is being a cf for even asking your DH!

Beaches don't belong to anyone in this country. That attitude really pisses me off. We're lucky enough to live next to a beautiful nature reserve which has been an absolute godsend during lockdown. Since the car parks re-opened, it's become much busier with people probably coming from the London area. It is spoiling the experience as it's much busier. However, I completely understand their desire for some fresh air and beautiful scenery after a tough couple of months. My only grumbles are large groups and litter.

I would be tempted to let him get on with it just so I could laugh at him trying to deal with the ensuing shitstorm
but that would be very irresponsible and it might affect you too