Any of your neighbours made a dash for it?

[jillypill]

As a Londoner I enjoy the peace that Christmas brings to my local area (SW), the ability to park outside your house, etc!
I thought it would be different this year but clearly not, hardly any cars parked & at least 6 of my neighbours have gone (no privacy in terraces with extensions etc).
Just my area?

@BabyStarling

Quite a few people here in the tourist town where I live, openly boasting about having come from tier 4. No wonder the sodding virus is spreading. Selfish bastards.

Same here. But tbf most arrived once the (private) schools started their holidays and simply decamped to their second homes for Christmas and at that point it's possible they came from other tier 2 areas rather than tier 3 now tier 4 ( trying to be generous here). We live in a square of 19 houses and usually half are empty as they are second homes and now all but one is occupied

I’m in tier 1. Apparently the police have turned back over 300 people trying to get into the county. Local restaurants and pubs are asking for proof of residency.

Despite what the media has made you think, not all Londoners high-tailed it out of the capital the minute Boris made his announcement on Saturday.

I completely agree, hence why I'm talking about my actual area & local streets which have seen a change over the weekend.

Lots of people round here went when the announcement for Tier 3 was made, “not breaking the rules as we are leaving when in Tier 2”
Off to 2nd homes, holiday cottages and family.

Particularly outrageous as several bubbles at school burst in the last week and several years should be isolating till at least 26/12. As someone else mentioned, social media is very quiet.

They will be the most vocal complainers when schools don’t go back in Jan.

It’s illegal still though, isn’t it? I know not everyone cares this time but even if you got out of London before midnight on Saturday your tier still follows you. So just the act of staying overnight is against the rules (and the law, I think - though not entirely sure!). Not trying to be goady but interested in clarification.

We are in Kent! My single friend got on Tinder and found a man in tier 2 to bubble up with and off she went.

That is crazy!

I think in rich areas this might happen?

My rough area is the same and we’ll all forget the chippy is closed on Boxing Day and wander by looking disappointed 😂

Most of us don’t own cars.

I had already left the morning. I literally walked through the door whilst my parent was watching conference lol. No I didn’t turn around and go home.

I'm in Devon and what has been quiet for weeks is now chaotic. I can't work out if its everyone last minute rushing after staying in or if it's the second homers and family members appearing from elsewhere in the country. I know there are welsh voices in the road that haven't been heard since last Christmas.

A number of people went on holiday when schools finished, so Saturday morning. Private schools finished earlier so those families will be long gone, if they were going somewhere.

@HOkieCOkie are you staying over? Is that allowed?

I'm not judging by the way (well except Tinder lady).

I thought the reason they originally relaxed the rules was due to expected mass non compliance. So changing their minds at such a late date may be pretty pointless.

After 9 months I wish my downstairs neighbours would. I have had enough of them banging, playing what I can only assume is bowling and slamming at least 3 or sometimes 4 doors to announce they have come home or they are going out.

The only reason I haven't said anything is because I think they could be as quiet as a churchmouse and I would still find it annoying

@CakeRequired

We've had lots turn up up here (highlands). Going to be fun watching them try to get back home now. Shouldn't have bloody come here in the first place so no sympathy.

Ditto Norfolk, they're being very generous, sharing their germs with us! It's been like a Summer Friday in Waitrose.

Yes, loads have gone. And they all went the morning before the announcement. They knew what was coming and got out before and I don't blame them. I love it tbh. So quiet and no problems parking, no business to negotiate social distancing around.

Most of my neighbours are sensible, but there's one family who've been having large gatherings all through the year. So don't think being in tier 4 will discourage them in the slightest.

Live in SW London too and like you I enjoy the usually quieter Christmas. We live in a very diverse area though where if people go away over the holidays I suspect it’s to Poland, Romania, Baltic states and also I guess to relies in other parts of the country etc. Still quite busy here . When we lived in central London it was blissfully quiet over the holidays, like something out of a 1950s movie .

Busyness not business.

I live very close to the cotswolds. I imagine many have descended on us. I imagine our case numbers will go up from the relatively low rate it has been throughout. Joy.

Loads came to their second homes here (SE, Tier 2) in earlier lockdowns and stayed on. Another couple arrived from the NE late on Saturday. Our sleepy village is positively buzzing !

@ftm202020

We are in Kent! My single friend got on Tinder and found a man in tier 2 to bubble up with and off she went.

So she's safer from the covid risk but she could be at serious risk from this man. Is she usually so reckless?

So she's safer from the covid risk but she could be at serious risk from this man

That was my thought, say he's a murderer 😱

North London here. Easier to park on our street than I've ever seen it. It's not such a wealthy street that anyone has a second home, but I assume everyone has gone to family. Many will have left after schools finished Friday night or Saturday morning. Don't blame them for not turning round and coming back, even though I suppose strictly speaking they should. Others probably did leave after the Saturday press conference...

We left tier 2 to fix our broken boiler in our holiday let in tier 1. Miscarried after a couple of days there, had to stay for hospital tests and now where we live is in tier 4. We feel awful and guilty being here but I have another hospital appt still (hospital EPU said they are slow at the moment so I am thankfully not too much of a burden there) and honestly just don’t feel up to travelling for 5 hours yet (still cramping and bleeding). I know a lot of people are selfishly flouting the rules but some people might have a reason to be where they are. We are remote and only using supermarket minimally, one at a time in a mask, not having a holiday. It is easy to assume everyone is just out gallivanting for a good time but please consider it might not always be the case. I would much rather be in tier 4 and still have a viable pregnancy.

Another in SW London. I think about half the neighbours in my block have gone, but some of those went weeks ago. I'm on a normally very busy road and there's still some traffic going both ways, but nothing like the normal levels.
My visit to Waitrose this morning was the first time I've had to queue to get in since the first lockdown ended, and some of the shelves were emptier than they've been since then.

@whataboutbob I love central at Christmas. Was going to see the lights as not been in since wfh in March but guess that's not allowed. Will probably go anyway.