To think “Eat out to help out” will go down in history as one of the all time stupid policies?

[Skysblue]

Round here in August all the pubs cafes and restaurants were crammed with people eating out because they were excited about the discount. Some places had plastic screens but most didn’t. No distancing, just a load of strangers crammed together because the government was paying for them to eat out.

Now a couple of weeks later covid cases are rising and the government reckon it’s not their fault. So now it’s criminal to have meet ups over ) people.

Is it just me, or was encouraging people to go to restaurants (and offices) in the middle of a pandemic, a blindingly stupid policy?

i work at tgi fridays and we have one table occupied next one empty and only took bookings no walk ins so controlled how many people in at one time, disposable menus, condiments in packets every table and chairs anti bac sprayed after each customer, so i went twice for a meal out it was ace to actually be able to go out for a meal and with the government discount and staff discount well cheap, the idiots in your post are the people who didnt social distance and the cafes or restaurants who were not covid safe to start with i wouldnt have gone in one of those even if the food was free, but the scheme was a good one not a bad one

You’re not wrong! How many people who are out given the option would’ve still ate out fi they knew the following month it’s no more than 6. Most would’ve rather had more freedom than eating out.

It’s utter crap and I can’t comprehend how stupid these polices have been. Likewise I think it’s been a lot of fear mongering which hasn’t helped and for a virus most recover from I think it’s time we resume to normal.

I think the people who are complaining were the same people who blamed the government for ‘ruining the economy’ and people’s livelihoods by shutting them in the first place.

They literally can’t win.

Same with schools.
Furious when schools weren’t shut early
Furious when schools were shut
Furious now that schools are open again

No matter what the government do there will be consequence and people will berate the decision.

I think they should extend it. Our local town has no actual shops anymore, it's all cafes, coffee shops and restaurants and they'll all tank if people stop going out, which we have since the discount ended.

I was commenting to my DM earlier on the phone how organised a lot of places are. (DH needed car today, so DDs had to walk the 2 miles home from school- so we stopped at McDonald's for Mcflurries.) I haven't seen people crammed in anywhere.

Our small town has lost both Pizza Hut and Pizza Express over the last few weeks, and several independents. 'Cramming in' is stupid- but most weren't.

I think the government have had far worse policies. Like pressuring care homes and councils to take patients direct from hospitals without a mandatory covid-19 test...

Disagree. All the evidence is that biggest spread of Covid-19 is within households - not from going to a pub/restaurant. I went to a couple of restaurants in August. All taking SD seriously, one way systems etc. It definitely helped footfall into the local town.

government discount

You know we're going to be paying for it through our taxes, don't you? That 'discount' will cost you more than you saved.

But funnily enough death rates are still decreasing. New evidence from Germany is showing that fatality rates are dropping across all ages. Which we are seeing in the U.K too.

Tbh I wish it was still on over September as we’ve just spent over £100 in the local Chinese restaurant. Was worth it though!

All the evidence is that biggest spread of Covid-19 is within households

Then why is Hancock blaming young people for mixing?

@GreenGoldRed

Disagree. All the evidence is that biggest spread of Covid-19 is within households - not from going to a pub/restaurant. I went to a couple of restaurants in August. All taking SD seriously, one way systems etc. It definitely helped footfall into the local town.

Absolutely this - I've not heard of many cases spread through restaurants and we loved it. Felt very safe every place we went to (and all the restaurants counted DS - 13 months - as a person so he got a £10 discount too)

Too dangerous to meet more than 6 people in your own home?

Too dangerous to eat out.

The issue comes when places and individuals aren’t following the very clear guidance. That’s what needs to be stamped out.

Yabu. Wasn't my experience at all where I live.

@ChaChaCha2012 he said it’s young people not following SD rules. It’s not young people meeting up in cafes/restaurants that’s the issue. It’s younger meeting up with lots of other young people (different households), mainly at houses and not observing SD.

Ridiculous. Giving people tax free cash to eat out every night and then put up taxes to pay for it. Not the brightest policy

We went out every week and honestly the mitigation was pretty good.

I doubt there was much spread, mostly outside or inside well placed and screens up

I think it’s other things driving numbers

It's a properly strange thing for the British (is it Britain wide or just England?) government to have spent money funding.

People started eating out again in the country I live in when it was allowed without toe curling cheesy slogans or government incentives! Either alternate tables are 'closed' or furniture is moved, and everyone has to leave their contact information.

I'm very bemused by Boris and his bumbling mates wasting money on subsidising people eating out, it's completely superfluous!

Wonder how much our taxes will rise to pay for it.?

We were discussing this earlier, it was a short hop from eating out to locking us back in!

We didn’t use it (didn’t feel a necessary risk to me) but I didn’t see anyone crammed in. Places did look as safe as they can be.

It did see an odd policy to me, I could have thought of a lot of other ways to spend that money. But I’m pleased businesses did well out of it and some people managed to get back to work.

I also think it was very valuable to give people some normality and reason to get out and socialise a bit before we head into autumn when things are inevitably going to get harder

I don’t think it was much of an infection risk but find the numbers intriguing. How much is circular?

The local high st was booming though I’ll say that much

Wonder how much our taxes will rise to pay for it.?

I actually hope they do raise taxes to pay for it - the alternative is a return to the austerity of 2010 cutting public services and year-in-year pay cuts for public sector wages.

I want an income tax increase, VAT increase, and end to the triple lock on state pensions. Ideally something around unearned income and inheritance tax too, but that is unlikely from the Conservatives.

You think that's the only thing that will go down in history as the most stupid decision? I think every decision made this year so far and the rest of it will be tying for first place.