Complain about venue with a kids party of 12 kids?

[selflove]

Would you? Am I just being a kill joy? I'm at a climbing wall place with my kids, there's a birthday party booking here with 12 kids (plus parents). The venue is still within its reduced "COVID" numbers for this time slot, but all 12 kids plus their parents have all finished the climbing and gone into the private "party" room for the food etc - there's over 20 people crammed in there together. It just feels insane?! Surely they should be only taking party bookings of less than 6?!

@IwishIwasyoda

You got nothing else to do OP? Seriously if the participants are OK with it why is it your business

It’s everybody’s business. And the participants may be ok with it, but what if their grandparents get infected and die? Are you actually serious? Have you been living under a rock?

@LadyofTheManners

Can I also point out that when these places are reported and fined, after months of no income due to lockdown and restrictions, where do you propose to take your children for fun when they go under? So many businesses, kids clubs, pubs, restaurants, party places, even zoos are in danger of ceasing to exist. Even London nightclubs are saying if this continues they will disappear. When everything bar Whetherspoons and Asda are gone, then what? We will be in a permanent state of lockdown, work, school and no fun.

It sucks.

The more people break the rules, the longer this will go on, and more businesses will go under, including those that have kept to the rules and don’t deserve to.

I wouldn’t report it either

Given the risk assessments that DH is currently having to do to run Scouts outside then no this is a) not ok b) not a valid exception from the rules.

Its deeply frustrating for everyone who is doing this and is trying to keep things running at minimal risk to ensure that kids get opportunities and fun AND keep the schools open.

And tbh thats why I'd complain because it doesn't sound like their risk assessment (if they've done one) is up to scratch. And they should be doing better if they want to continue to operate...

Maybe they are all in a class bubble? It’s ridiculous to prevent children in the same bubble during the week from meeting up at the weekend.

Wind your neck in.

I think whatever people do over next few weeks there's going to be another full on lockdown even if figures and rates don't go up, the gov needs to appease people like op and other covid stasi.

Climbing activity with more than 6 people, all from different households = probably OK

20+ kids and parents crammed into small party room for food = definitely not OK, makes a mockery of other people following the rules, even if they're all in the same class at school, the school will be making the parents queue up at the gates staying distanced and outdoors etc.

Still a hard decision whether to report or not. I wouldn't want to spoil a kid's birthday, but at the same time, is the venue doing this every weekend? What would Chris Witty say?

Just remember after getting them fined thousands of pounds you're probbaly never going to be welcome there again

Why should this business carry on earning as usual when others are complying with the rules and losing out? The kids activity they could get away with if it was just the kids in there, no parents and they were making an effort to provide opportunities for distancing, but eating in the party room is clearly breaching the rules, as it would be if you'd tried to book a restaurant for that many people.

All businesses will suffer if hospitality venues have to close due to an increase in infection rates because some aren't following the guidance.

I wouldn’t report it. It’s pointless. The majority of places will be breaking the rules. Plus, if one of them there has it, the likelihood is the whole place is already at risk anyway so the six person rule is a load of rubbish just designed to try and make people feel like something is being done.

It’s fucking astonishing that someone thinking it’s reasonable to object to 12 children having a birthday party has become a thing.

I work at a similar venue and no it’s not okay and not within the rules.
We are now running at about a 50% visitor capacity and parties are restricted to 6 guests.
A school bubble is not classed as a social bubble. We restrict access to our party rooms to the guests only. Parents collecting etc are instructed to wait outside. The only school exemption you will find is a boarding school which is able to classify its students from one ‘house’ being their own household and support bubble.
It’s frustrating that not all businesses are following the guidance but there’s not enough resource for local authorities to get out and spot check venues. We’ve also had some awful experiences recently with customers not following guidance and complaining on trip advisor when they are spoken to.

I really couldn't get worked up over it and it wouldn't even enter my head to report it.

I wouldn’t report and break up a kids birthday party, because I’m not a prick.

Actually if you're the type that thinks that children are entitled to not adhering to rules because they are precious little children, then you are a prick.

I work in a school, a colleague who is over 60 caught it from a child last week. We have terrified staff, including one who has recently returned from cancer treatment who have been teaching in rooms with 30 kids with no PPE because the government guidelines said we didn't need it. All because schools just have to be open.

It’s a child’s birthday party.... Why get involved with something that has nothing to do with you

l work in a school, a colleague who is over 60 caught it from a child last week.
Was it confirmed that it was this child that they caught it from?

I’d report it. It’s a very easy way for transmission to happen and there are vulnerable children and staff at schools, in parents’ workplaces etc.

There’s a chance that further down the line death or serious illness could be linked to this birthday party.

Why should people have to die alone, not have all their loved ones at their weddings or funerals, go through miscarriages and much of labour without their partners, live in care homes with no visitors and so on and so forth...whilst a business and some selfish parents are wreckless and think themselves above the rules that other business are doing their utmost to stick to? It’s disgusting.

Are we supposed to follow 'the rules' or use common sense? Because they're often contradictory. But then people are blamed for not using common sense.

Is any of this supposed to make sense?

Definitely report it. It’s not the climbing party that’s the problem, It’s everybody crowded into a small room after. Doesn’t matter if the kids are in a bubble, the adults aren’t. Stupid selfish people, they could have had a nice birthday climbing session with their friends but they had to go and do that after. I hate the rules but they are here to stay unfortunately, especially if everyone keeps doing things like this and prolonging it.

TitianaTitsling On the day the child was sent home with symptoms she had been in the front row of that member of staff's classroom. 2 days later he developed symptoms and tested positive the day after. Apart from work he had not been anywhere else for the previous 4 days.

I didn't report it in the end. I'd just probably avoid the venue for a while tbh - their "COVID secure" measures felt tokenistic at best.

I wouldn't have ruined a kids party - I'm not a total twat. Didn't look like a class party to me - birthday child was about 4, and guests aged approx 4-11/12. Maybe a family group. It just feels weird when weddings are limited to 15, but you could have a birthday party in an indoors climbing venue for 20 people and that's fine.

I’d report it for the party room 100%.

@LadyofTheManners

Can I also point out that when these places are reported and fined, after months of no income due to lockdown and restrictions, where do you propose to take your children for fun when they go under? So many businesses, kids clubs, pubs, restaurants, party places, even zoos are in danger of ceasing to exist. Even London nightclubs are saying if this continues they will disappear. When everything bar Whetherspoons and Asda are gone, then what? We will be in a permanent state of lockdown, work, school and no fun.

It sucks.

@LadyofTheManners

You’re missing the point again.....

We want these places to stay open, but they must operate safely and fairly. It’s not fair on other businesses who are playing by the rules.

The owners may not be aware the employees are letting people crowd into a room, or the owners may be letting them do it and putting staff and customers at risk.

I’m sure many businesses are doing the same and yes they need money but can’t break the rules to do this.

The point about it being a possible class bubble is irrelevant, it may or may not be, but they’ve no way of knowing, and also parents aren’t allowed to crowd into a school for a reason.

My suggestion would be to not report it, and also have a think about why youre so keen to ruin a kids party.

Poor kids have had a terrible time and will feel the repercussions for years. Let them have a party.

There's a difference between reporting and talking to the manager and asking how is able to happen and maybe they'll meet they'll rethink for the future.

But you're there too aren't you OP? If one of the people attending has to isolate im sure you'll be contacted through track and trace? I really don't see the difference to them all just attending the play zone.