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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think this party is breaching Covid rules?

50 replies

Sunbo · 15/10/2020 22:20

I am in a Tier 2 area so ‘high’ alert. My DS has just been invited to a nursery friends birthday party.

It is at a soft play, the mum put on the invite that it’s an exclusive hire but to call venue if have any questions. I called the venue and they said there is no breach of Covid rules as:

  • it’s an exclusive hire of the venue (20 kids plus parents)
  • parents will be wearing masks and socially distanced
  • children will be sat to eat in tables of 4
The venue is Covid secure

Why is this ok when surely a party is an organised social gathering? I just can’t get my head around the rules that in a Tier 2 area you can’t arrange to socially meet with family/friends anywhere indoors, but a party like this would be ok because of the reasons the venue has given?

OP posts:
purplepingu · 15/10/2020 22:29

For someone who hasn't worked in the wedding industry since March and is likely to not work until at least April thanks to the government's 15 person limit for weddings, it makes me really annoyed and sad to see businesses doing this. Surely it can't be right to be allowed to do this when no more than 15 are allowed at a wedding?

BillywilliamV · 15/10/2020 22:35

No, if everyone can’t have fun then nobody can have fun, that’s only fair!

KitchenConfidential · 15/10/2020 22:38

What happened to the rule of 6 for a start?

SimplyPizza · 15/10/2020 22:40

Why do you think this is anything to do with you? You presumably aren’t going to be attending for the reasons you outlined so the reason you’re inserting yourself into the situation is...what, exactly?

purpleme12 · 15/10/2020 22:40

This is not legal.
You're not allowed parties and not allowed to mix indoors which clearly the children will be doing even if the adults don't

CharlieSocial · 15/10/2020 22:46

Nice little super spreader party right there

Original poster
Sunbo · 15/10/2020 22:48

I am asking because I wanted to know if I am misunderstanding the new rules. I want to know if the soft play is right in their interpretation of the rules, and if so then I can take my DS. Just trying to get my head around it to be honest, when I spoke to them they were certain there was not a breach of the rules.

OP posts:
Quartz2208 · 15/10/2020 22:51

Mixing indoor rules are households in private dwellings not places which are under other guidance

Soft play has its own rules (varies by nation) to be COVID secure. It looks to be roughly 40% normal capacity on average.

The rules vary by each sector it is likely the venue is following its particular set of rules

Weddings have different rules

FeckArseDrinkGirls · 15/10/2020 22:52

The soft play I take my dc’s to us still open and often has more than 20 kids in there. Personally I don’t see how it being a party is any different from it being any other random kids of the same number - they’re all in the same space. But it’s probably against the rules as we all know CV is sneaky and will try extra hard to get you if you’re doing it as an organised party.

catcatcatcat · 15/10/2020 22:53

Places near me are doing private hire but max 6 and 2 households. I'd say it's definitely wrong what is being proposed

notanotherpothole · 15/10/2020 22:54

I've heard a few parents plan parties like this, based on the idea that the kids are in a bubble together in school.. Parents aren't allowed to sit beside each other, so stay socially isolated. I kind of get their logic but definitely disagree with it.

TheDuchessofMalfy · 15/10/2020 22:54

None of it makes any sense anyway.

Where I live is well under the national average for cases - lower than places in the middle of the countryside - and some how we’ve been lumped in with places that aren’t even that near and put in tier 2.

Polly111 · 15/10/2020 22:58

It’s against current guidance www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-level-high. I would also contact your local council to check.

Thisisnotnormal69 · 15/10/2020 23:00

Nope not allowed

Quartz2208 · 15/10/2020 23:10

I think from looking at it soft play is an area they have forgotten about how it will work in this. It’s leisure so in theory open but in practice has children mixing

purpleme12 · 15/10/2020 23:12

@Quartz2208

I think from looking at it soft play is an area they have forgotten about how it will work in this. It’s leisure so in theory open but in practice has children mixing
Soft play just aren't supposed to allow parties And like everywhere else they just say just come in your household, don't come with another household
GabsAlot · 15/10/2020 23:19

i didnt think private parties were allowed at all unless a wedding of 15

purpleme12 · 15/10/2020 23:20

They're not

PastelPompoms · 15/10/2020 23:24

I think the venue are saying it’s secure because they would be open to 20 families normally as long as adults were socially distanced in masks etc so technically, they’re ‘open’ as normal in what they deem to be a Covid secure environment but you’re all there for the party.

Viviennemary · 15/10/2020 23:27

It's against guidelines. But so was what Dominic Cummings did and that Scottish MP. So no wonder people are ignoring the rules.

Lessofallthisunpleasantness · 15/10/2020 23:33

Sounds like a loophole. If the kids are all at school together there is definately no increased risk to your little one. If you are worried about exposure to the virus then just treat it as a drop off.

FartingNora · 15/10/2020 23:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

user1481840227 · 15/10/2020 23:55

@BillywilliamV

No, if everyone can’t have fun then nobody can have fun, that’s only fair!
That has never been the way of the world.
Feefifo9 · 15/10/2020 23:56

It would possibly be technically in tier 1 rules and I guess it could be made tier 2 compliant if the parents sat all on their own household tables. Soft plays are open and children obviously mix, so not sure how it’s that different honestly. In fact safer if they are all at the same nursery.
If you don’t agree with it, don’t go.

Feefifo9 · 15/10/2020 23:57

@FartingNora

I can see why there is confusion.

Soft play can open and book up to capacity of 20 kids made up of households of strangers but kids will be kids and play together

Soft play can open but can’t take one booking of 20 kids, even though they are in bubble together at school.
Does the virus know differently?

Exactly. It’s illegal but safer than the legal option.... make your own mind up there.
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