AIBU to think this party is breaching Covid rules?

[Sunbo]

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?

I work in a soft play and all in our area are planning Halloween parties up yo 40 kids plus parents and its allowed so on your theory softplays should be shut notmal weekend at least 40 kids at a time

Soft play hasnt even been allowed to open at all yet in Scotland but trampoline parks have which I cant understand. Anyway, surely if soft play is still open anyway then the party is allowed if the parents dont mingle?.

@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?

I would guess that the risk of transmission is slightly lower when all the kids and parents are strangers as people stay further away from each other, they don't talk to each other much, and there is probably less shouting because the kids are less excited than at a party, and no singing Happy Birthday...

Unless ALL the kids are all in a bubble, then the overall risk is lower.

I think my conscience would be clear if there are only kids from one bubble and their parents, no other friends or family. It's more like Neil Ferguson bending the rules based on science rather than Dominic Cummings ignoring the rules. You aren't adding to the risk to society over going to softplay on your own.

If you have a reason to be cautious, like a family member who is vulnerable, you are increasing your personal risk of catching the virus slightly because you will be inside with children shouting and screaming, which has a higher risk of transmission.

There are loads of exceptions to the 6 person rule, especially when it comes to kids activities. tennis clubs are allowed 15 kids on a court (12 indoors) even in tier 3

It is not allowed. You cannot socialise with another household indoors if you're tier 2. Those telling the OP to basically mind her own business - it's people like the owner of the soft play and the parent who organised the party that are causing areas to become tier 2 and 3.

@Stressingismyhobby

It is not allowed. You cannot socialise with another household indoors if you're tier 2. Those telling the OP to basically mind her own business - it's people like the owner of the soft play and the parent who organised the party that are causing areas to become tier 2 and 3.

There are SO many exceptions to that e.g Except if you’re in a childcare bubble Or to worship Or to attend Sunday school group Or to go to a sporting activity Etc It’s not as clear cut as you make out.

stressingismyhobby but if they took just their child there could well be 20+ kids there anyway. Why does going there as a group of 20 result in areas being at tier 3 but going and there being 20 people there already doesn’t?

Don't meet inside with anyone outside of your household/bubble

I have put YABU because there is nothing to get your head around. The tier 2 rules could not be any clearer, no mixing indoors with anyone not from your household.

The venue is spouting nonsense and will be fined, that’s all.

@Feefifo9

You have just made those exceptions up. It is clear cut.

florenceX those aren’t made up exceptions . In tier 2 you can still do all those things feefifo9 mentioned.

@purpleme12 where though I can find guidance for Wales (which does say parties are not allowed) but I cant find the guidance for soft play at all

www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/closing-certain-businesses-and-venues-in-england

Has indoor play areas which links to gyms and outdoor playgrounds twice but nothing about this.

So unless I am missing something the Gvt seem to have created a very grey area with this.

I suspect because its not the focus. Parents household groups are separate and the rates for the under 9 is low. Before the current tiers were implemented it would have been within guidelines - and it doesnt state in this what the new ones are. Children stuff has generally been left alone with this. Leisure/Hospitality hasnt and this covers the two.

I am happy to be proven wrong and their is guidance for this out there. The owner is likely to be thinking they are following the rules surely

Ring your council and ask.

@RoseAndRose I suspect the council wont know either.

@Familylawsolicitor I tend now just to edit and publish law but I cant see anything clear about soft play in this either.

I still think it has pretty much been forgotten

I think it's allowed, the venue will have checked the guidance on how many they can have. Stop spouting the line of 6, in certain situations that is exempt, for example weddings and funerals. Swimming lessons are still going ahead here (I'm in tier 2) in a class of 8, after school dodgeball is still going ahead with more than 6, cubs is still going ahead with more than 6. The venue will have checked for themselves, if you aren't comfortable don't go. But realise there are exceptions to keep businesses alive

One of the exceptions in the link someone provided is - for supervised activities provided for children

The examples given after it are childcare related, but I wonder if the soft play are trying to use this as a bit of a loophole?

I think I would play it safe op and not go, imagine getting a huge fine just because you attended this party or worse yet, plus it is so unfair on the teachers when they go back into school after.

[quote Quartz2208]@purpleme12 where though I can find guidance for Wales (which does say parties are not allowed) but I cant find the guidance for soft play at all

www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/closing-certain-businesses-and-venues-in-england

Has indoor play areas which links to gyms and outdoor playgrounds twice but nothing about this.

So unless I am missing something the Gvt seem to have created a very grey area with this.

I suspect because its not the focus. Parents household groups are separate and the rates for the under 9 is low. Before the current tiers were implemented it would have been within guidelines - and it doesnt state in this what the new ones are. Children stuff has generally been left alone with this. Leisure/Hospitality hasnt and this covers the two.

I am happy to be proven wrong and their is guidance for this out there. The owner is likely to be thinking they are following the rules surely[/quote]
Soft play has its own guidance on gov.uk, its separate to the other guidance so not easy to find

www.balppa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Indoor-Play-Areas-for-Children-Operational-Guidance-for-Soft-Play-Equipment.pdf

I am really surprised so much is allowed in tier 2 I must admit. Here in NI, softplays are all closing again, all sports classes stopping etc. For at least 4 weeks from 6pm today.

It wouldn't be allowed if everyone prebooking from the class was to meet but if soft play wasn't exclusive hire and everyone from the class turned up this wouldn't be against the law as the soft play is a business and has different rules.
By pre booking and exclusive hire this is the intention to socialise and rule of 6 I think would come in. Not prebooking soft play is a business and rule of 6 doesn't apply

[quote Familylawsolicitor]**@Florencex

Feefifo8 is not wrong
There’s 17 detailed exceptions in the legislation
It’s not actually clear cut

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1104/schedule/1/made[/quote]
Thanks. I'm not making it up @Florencex, promise! There are actually quite a lot of exemptions. Some of which you won't know by just looking - you won't know if two families are in a childcare bubble for example. I tend to keep within the rules for myself and not try to police others because they could very well have a good reason for doing what they are doing, which legal.

@simplypizza
Yes why should we care if people break the law. If I saw someone bugging my neighbour I wouldn't dream of inserting myself into the situation!

Alternatively people breaking the law is leading to higher rates of covid and more issues for all of us. That's why people care about it.

Places round us are doing Halloween just parties. I think its shit given kids cant meet up with one other child from their school bubble socially but they can meet up in a different temporary 'bubble' of 15 kids every day in half term. Its ridiculous and it defeats the purpose of schools trying to hard to keep bubbles separate. I checked with the council and it's fine if they keep bubbles of 15 kids apart, and if they've done a risk assessment.

Crock of shit

I guess it’s safer than 20 randoms.

Our local soft play is allowing 15 people to go in at the same time... you have to buy a ticket in advance and online. So I buy 4 tickets for a certain date and my friends buy them for the same time and date and we all go together. In my head that’s safer than being there with 11 randoms which is apparently ok!!

Having watched the press conference given the Prime Minister doesnt have a complete grasp on the rules how can anyone else!

Anyway I cant imagine it would be the attendees who would be fine if they attended in good faith it would be the soft play.

Given the guidance is before Tier 2 and there doesnt appear to be any now