AIBU to be shocked that this isn't common knowledge?

[DameFanny]

If you go to the pub, or a restaurant, you're not supposed to mix households, or be outside your bubble.

I thought this was all pretty clear - you distance from anyone not in your bubble. 2 metres, or 1 metre with screens, masks or something similar.

And I haven't bothered with the pub or whatever because what's the fun in waving at people from behind a screen. But that's not what people are doing is it? They're sharing tables with friends and getting Covid. Even though it's illegal, and the pub/restaurant can be closed down for it.

I thought the people going out were mostly just eating in a different set of walls with their household - or the posturing mask debaters who tell us it's just a sniffle - but I was honestly shocked on another thread that this isn't common knowledge. How many people are breaking the law?

www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery

Aibu to be shocked that you don't know there is a Coronavirus topic on Mumsnet? Aibu to be shocked that if you did you know, then you are choosing to post it on AIBU with a fucking stupid clickbaity title without even making the subject matter of your question clear?

@Chicchicchicchiclana but it's an AIBU..?

[quote DameFanny]@FractionalGains? Why? In this instance? Don't you think people want to be doing the right thing? Whether guidance (within a set of emergency measures) or law?[/quote]
Because you started a thread saying you were “shocked” at the way people didn’t know they were breaking the law. Im happy for you to correct me but as far as I can tell, they aren’t. Despite the tone of your thread being shocked about people not being aware of the rules, you yourself were not aware of the structure of the various restrictions.

Also you can be fined etc for breaking the law, not so for breaching guidance. Of course it matters.

@DameFanny

Although the distancing isn't a random add on - it's three basic principle that should be applying in every situation.

Random add on was the wrong wording. But yeah, totally get where you are coming from now and yes you are of course correct.

I never even thought of this to be honest, and have been distancing everywhere.

Glad we have not been booking anywhere, even with just the household!

You're mixing up law and guidance, or 'must' and 'should' (in tier 1 areas).

Basically you can't sodding win unless you put yourself in self-imposed lockdown, because it's virtually impossible to support the hospitality industry and follow all the rules / guidance. Ultimately we all have to be as sensible as possible with everything else especially when this sort of thing cannot be enforced without decimating the industry.

Meeting family and friends
When seeing friends and family you do not live with (or who are not part of your support bubble), you must not meet in a group of more than 6, indoors or outdoors. In England, this limit of 6 includes children of any age.

A support bubble is where a household with one adult joins with another household. Households in that support bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight and visit public places together.

Visiting other venues, including restaurants, pubs and places of worship.
Venues following COVID-secure guidance can host more people in total, but no one must mix indoors in groups larger than 6, unless you all live together, or are in the same support bubble. This includes in:

pubs and restaurants
leisure and entertainment venues
places of worship
At least one person in your group should give their contact details to the venue or check in using the official NHS COVID-19 app so NHS Test and Trace can contact you if needed.

This is from Gov.co.uk for areas in the medium risk tier.

So yes you can meet 5 different friends in a pub, restaurant or cafe and sit right next to them. Then tomorrow you could meet 5 different friends in a pub, restaurant or cafe.

I will follow the law, but not necessarily the guidance if it doesn't make sense.

I'm making the most if being able to go out before we put into another pointless lockdown

Tbh, I didn't realise this until about 6 weeks ago, was meeting up with 2 friends, none of us in same household, at a pub for dinner. when I phoned to book I was asked how many households. I was taken aback- this was just after eat out to help out and Id been out a few times in the proceeding month and never once been asked that question. Quick Google search told me only 2 households were meant to be sitting at same table in a cafe/pub/ restaurant , neither me or my friends had realised this or been asked the question before.
The much publicised eat out to help out scheme was great for the economy and for morale but probably not so good at keeping covid under control, and people were definitely, possibly unintentionally, breaking the rules.

My point @FractionalGains is that I hadn't realised that so many people hadn't realised that they're still supposed to be distancing from people they're not bubbled with. I thought people thinking they were protected from covid by having a drink in front of them was just an unfunny joke made by the anti-maskers, not something that people actually acted by

I actually thought this was the case but people close to me (but not in my bubble) thought I was being OTT if I kept a metre away with my mask on 🤣. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Restaurants are 1m zones with contact details you can quite legally met in a cafe with any friend you like today and a different friend tomorrow and your sister the day after that. It is not illegal to met friends in a cafe, in a cafe you should be a metre apart, in your house (in England only) 2 metres

if you are in a medium tier area in Scotland or tier 1 in England in both cases it is a maximum of 6 in England it is 6 people could be 6 households of 1 or 2 households of 3 children , in Scotland it is 6 but only 2 households but children under 12 don't count so if you and DH have 4 kids in Scotland you can meet with grandparents as it's 4 adults and 4 kids under 12 in England you can't as it would be 8 people.

Don't say stuff is illegal when it isn't obviously it might be if you are in a tier 2 or high risk area you are just mudding the waters,

I’ve got confused now as I was thinking you could only go to pubs in your household or bubble in all the tiers.

Mind you I’m in tier 2 now so that would be correct for me, unless sitting outside.

Did you really, actually think that the only people going to pubs and restaurants were people going with the people they already lived with? Didn't you walk past one at any point and marvel at the growing popularity of house shares among men in their 50s?!

You can meet five other people but should still distance from them- in reality that doesn’t happen as tables aren’t big enough so 6 people sit around a table together potentially passing it between them

You're right, OP, but a lot of people don't seem to get it - even some on this thread are completely missing the point!

I have been out for one meal since March, with three friends. We were sitting outside but I had naively assumed that the tables would be set up to allow some distancing. They weren't, so I haven't been out again, with the exception of going for a coffee with my dd (same household).

I think people are ignoring the rules for lots of reasons. Some just don't give a shit. Lots don't understand and think it's ok in groups of up to 6. Some are forced to ignore social distancing in work or school and therefore think fuck it.

I did allow my dd to go out for lunch with her friends, sitting outside but definitely not 2m apart. She is very careful because I'm vulnerable, but the fact is, they are not distancing at all in school because it simply isn't possible.

"So yes you can meet 5 different friends in a pub, restaurant or cafe and sit right next to them. Then tomorrow you could meet 5 different friends in a pub, restaurant or cafe."

No, you can't sit right next to them @tinty - the distancing still applies. It applies in a restaurant, in someone's home, in a shop - everywhere. Unless it's a member of your own household or support bubble.

Yes, it makes going to the pub a bit pointless - which is why I was surprised so many people were bothering (apart from the 'it's just a sniffle' idiots of course)

I think when the OP talks about 'distancing' from those outside your bubble, they're talking about keeping 2 metres away or 1 metre with a screen/mask....

No, you can't sit right next to them @tinty - the distancing still applies. It applies in a restaurant, in someone's home, in a shop - everywhere. Unless it's a member of your own household or support bubble.

Again, you're mixing up 'can't' and 'shouldn't'. You can, but you're not following the guidance which means you shouldn't.

I'm pretty sure in Scotland there was a special hospitality 1 metre rule that premises were allowed to open under. Just after lockdown.

@Hardbackwriter

Did you really, actually think that the only people going to pubs and restaurants were people going with the people they already lived with? Didn't you walk past one at any point and marvel at the growing popularity of house shares among men in their 50s?!

Strolling through town after dark hasn't been a thing since DC came along unfortunately

@DameFanny

My point *@FractionalGains* is that I hadn't realised that so many people hadn't realised that they're still supposed to be distancing from people they're not bubbled with. I thought people thinking they were protected from covid by having a drink in front of them was just an unfunny joke made by the anti-maskers, not something that people actually acted by

Who thinks they’re protected by having a drink in front of them? Any more than people think they’re protected by being within the confines of a school building? Or a bus? Thinking they’re protected is not why people are going to pubs. They’re doing it because it’s legal and they want to, not because they think it makes them immune.

Something being within the restrictions doesn’t mean you’re protected from covid. The restrictions work on a population level, they’re not meant to be a guarantee you won’t catch covid if you follow them.

The truth is that thank God people have been going because otherwise we would have no hospitality industry anymore and millions of workers, who aren’t the best paid anyway, would be out of work.

@ConfusedcomMum

I think when the OP talks about 'distancing' from those outside your bubble, they're talking about keeping 2 metres away or 1 metre with a screen/mask....

Yes, exactly

@DameFanny

No, youcan'tsit right next to them@tinty- the distancing still applies.

Yes you can as that is only guidance not law.

If the pub allows it then whats the problem. Pubs and restaurants need the business coming in, and for me its nice to see people out and about getting back to some level of normality.

In Scotland it was initially back in March no one from outside your household, then single adults were allowed to bubble then it was upto 8 people from 3 households in the summer then it changed to 6 from 2 households a few weeks back provided in medium tier area. The rules changed over time and will change again, what was illegal 5 months ago maybe legal now and it maybe different again next week