Is this actually allowed?

[BellCurve]

I'm planning our wedding next year and I've just had a venue invite us to look around today or tomorrow. AIBU to be surprised at this?

I assumed that this wasn't allowed during lockdown, but they've just said to wear masks.

I mean, it's probably less risky than it will be straight after lockdown because there'll be no-one using the restaurant, less guests etc, but still, I didn't think this would be allowed.

Other businesses have had to close. People have lost their jobs, income, homes, family members, their own long term health. The virus will not affect you less harshly just because you run a business, or for anyone else for that matter.
It’s a global pandemic. There’s no rule that says you get through it unscathed. Yes it’s hard, yes it’s heartbreaking. But other people’s lives and incomes have no lesser importance than your special circumstances and the incomes your business supports.
It’s a lockdown. It’s not permanent. It’s saving lives. What YOU do actually does have an impact.

@nancy75

Estate agents can do viewings, can’t see why this would be much different

having somewhere to live - essential day trips to take a peek at where you might fancy having a party in a year or more's time - not so much.

@carrythecan

Plenty of wedding venues are allowed to be open & they may well be open for other reasons e.g. doing takeaway food etc.

I'm sure picking up a takeaway is questionable to those who think we must all stay home, but never the less the venue is operating within the law.

Business are struggling massively and doing whatever they can to stay afloat, for both their employees as well as the business owners. The government support has been pitiful in many cases and the grants and furlough barely touch the sides of what some of these businesses are losing. So maybe some poster could have a think about why these business are still operating, rather than suggesting that they should be boycotted.

Are they open to the public?

Nope.

Next.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

I'd be concerned they'd get a detail wrong on the big day, like feeding someone with allergies the wrong special meal

Jesus wept. Good job we don't do the catering then, innit?

if the potential guests have died of covid because of irresponsible attitudes and people tripping around to evaluate party venues, their food allergies will be less of a concern

@RedToothBrush Yes they are open to the public if they are doing takeaway food, which was the example I used.

And this is why we are all f'ed. 'Essential' my bottom. ICU wards filling up, levelling out at incredibly high daily rates. But ya... Its fine to look around a wedding venue if you ve got your mask on.

Depressing. For those of us who have tried our best, stayed in homes, either lost of job or on the cusp of it... Our kids no longer able to go to school. So unbelievably depressing.

Stay at home unless you absolutely HAVE to go out.
Act like you have covid.
Essential travel only.

It’s not about bending rules t9 fit it’s about reducing transmission as much as possible.

Businesses aren't 'bending the rules' because they don't care, they are operating within the illogical rules that allow them to stay open because they do care. They care about staying afloat and keeping their staff in jobs. There is not enough government support to just close their doors and stay home.

The government are letting this happen, rather than providing decent support, as they know businesses will do everything they can to keep going. The government need the businesses to stay afloat to keep the economy going.

[quote carrythecan]@RedToothBrush Yes they are open to the public if they are doing takeaway food, which was the example I used. [/quote]
But they are NOT open for services to the public. You can't just go for a fucking tour around them. It is restricted.

The public are only allowed to collect take away food. They are NOT allowed to go around on a tour of the venue which is DIRECTLY related to the wedding venue business. They are NOT allowed on the premises.

@carrythecan

Businesses aren't 'bending the rules' because they don't care, they are operating within the illogical rules that allow them to stay open because they do care. They care about staying afloat and keeping their staff in jobs. There is not enough government support to just close their doors and stay home.

The government are letting this happen, rather than providing decent support, as they know businesses will do everything they can to keep going. The government need the businesses to stay afloat to keep the economy going.

They are breaching health and safety.

It doesn't matter if you are trying to keep afloat if you are operating in a manner which endangers employees or customers.

You get shut down for that.

And they should be shut down. Or forced out of business if they don't take that seriously enough.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

I'd be concerned they'd get a detail wrong on the big day, like feeding someone with allergies the wrong special meal

Jesus wept. Good job we don't do the catering then, innit?

It was just a generic example. There are plenty of other ways you could screw up that don't involve catering.

Give us the link to your website and we'll name a specific way. Don't want to? Could that possibly be because you know you're breaking the law and don't want your business to be identified?

Why are non essential goods still being allowed on click and collect?

We are being encouraged to stay at home and not travel if it's not essential.

Yet you can order a diamond necklace and travel 20 miles in your car to go to a shopping centre, grab a Costa, mooch round M&S and then pick up your necklace from a small shop, which has to be staffed by at least 3 people from different households (who have also had to travel) which is open 7 days a week for folks who want to buy bling.

And posters are saying there are no blurred lines?

I thought they'd know what they're allowed to do, so I'm surprised.

I just stood my cleaner down. The Scottish govt website is very clear that domestic cleaning is only allowed for people who are unable to keep a clean house due to disability etc. My DH expected the agency to contact us to cancel if she wasn't supposed to come but no, she was coming until I looked up the legal guidance and mailed them to cancel.

Your wedding company know what they are allowed to do - they're allowed to go to wedding venues becuse that's their job - and it's up to you to police what you are allowed to do. Tell them to send you a video tour instead. They are probably afraid you will cancel if they don't encourage you to visit.

I hope someone does report you

Go right ahead.

I wonder what I can report you for?????

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

I hope someone does report you

Go right ahead.

I wonder what I can report you for?????

Hmmm... staying at home?

If I knew your business I would. Just because of your attitude tbh.

Hmmm... staying at home?

Yeah, like you've followed the rules to the letter? Quite frankly, I don't believe you. And I don't think you even believe yourself.

We are allowed to be open so you'd be wasting your time reporting us.

There's nothing wrong with my attitude. I'm looking after my colleagues who need their salaries. Sounds like you're fortunate enough to manage without. Maybe a bit of compassion wouldn't go amiss.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

Hmmm... staying at home?

Yeah, like you've followed the rules to the letter? Quite frankly, I don't believe you. And I don't think you even believe yourself.

We are allowed to be open so you'd be wasting your time reporting us.

There's nothing wrong with my attitude. I'm looking after my colleagues who need their salaries. Sounds like you're fortunate enough to manage without. Maybe a bit of compassion wouldn't go amiss.

1. I'm not legally liable for anyone else but myself
2. I have followed the rules
3. I believe I haven't been a piss taker either.

Genuinely. This may be hard for someone happy to break rules to understand.

I have gone out of my way to make sure I have done my absoluete best not to do things I could do legally at the time but thought wasn't a good idea even though it was allowed.

I can also read the restrictions and you don't appear to like it being pointed out there is no loophole for wedding venues to open for tours.

Please direct me to the exception you are working under...

So many ivory towers.
If op wasn’t allowed to go then the venue would not be allowed to open.
The rules are not clear cut at all, and it’s deliberate.
If you are knowingly exposed to COVID you MUST self isolate for 10 days, unless your a doctor or a nurse or a caregiver, or whoever else has to just carry on.

Please direct me to the exception you are working under...

We don't need an exception. The business (which isn't primarily a hospitality business) is open. We are not required to close.

Incidentally, I'm not making the decisions here (although I do support them). I'm merely accounting for the cost of a potential loss of business.

I'm not aware that I've broken any rules either. The business requires me to be in the office. Other than that:

No sex; No drugs; No wine; No (wo)men: No fun; No sin; No you; No wonder it's dark ...

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

Hmmm... staying at home?

Yeah, like you've followed the rules to the letter? Quite frankly, I don't believe you. And I don't think you even believe yourself.

We are allowed to be open so you'd be wasting your time reporting us.

There's nothing wrong with my attitude. I'm looking after my colleagues who need their salaries. Sounds like you're fortunate enough to manage without. Maybe a bit of compassion wouldn't go amiss.

But you would have been able to furlough your staff if you were unable to open, surely?

And why is it hard to believe people have been sticking to guidelines? I've been going to work (part time at work, part time from home). I work as a community nurse. Aside from that, I've gone out to buy food, collect prescriptions and take the dog for a walk. Am I lying as well?

I've been sticking to the guidelines not only because it's necessary but because I can't go to the pub, for a meal out or to the cinema because all non essential services are shut as ordered to. I did not see family members over christmas except by Zoom.....because I'm sticking to guidelines!!! I own a holiday let in a popular seaside resort which I do not let people stay in.....because it's a non essential service. I did visit just before Christmas but cut it short when my area (London, which was tier 2 when I left) went up to Tier 3 and then Tier 4. I returned straight after it was placed in Tier4.

I do think the majority of people are sticking to the guidelines. Clearly not everybody....which is why we haven't yet got a lid on it.

Obviously I do emapthise with your situation. As mentioned I own a small holiday let which was affected badly by the pandemic and has had to have a cash injection from my savings. I'm lucky that that's the worst that's happened to me. I know there are loads that have lost jobs and incomes. I've lost one source of income, but am grateful it wasn't the only source. I've not caught the virus, or lost anyone to it. But I still stick to the guidelines so that in the near future this will remain the same.

I'd say it's not essential so you shouldn't be going.

I read someone's opinion on this sort of thing... They were referring to cafes being open for takeaway- a coffee isn't essential so people shouldn't be going out to buy one. But cafes are open which of course gives the impression that it's okay to go there! They felt that cafes are only open because the government don't want to have to offer financial assistance if they force them to close. No idea how true it is but I think it makes some sense.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

Please direct me to the exception you are working under...

We don't need an exception. The business (which isn't primarily a hospitality business) is open. We are not required to close.

Incidentally, I'm not making the decisions here (although I do support them). I'm merely accounting for the cost of a potential loss of business.

I'm not aware that I've broken any rules either. The business requires me to be in the office. Other than that:

No sex; No drugs; No wine; No (wo)men: No fun; No sin; No you; No wonder it's dark ...

On a lighter note....I'm old enough to remember the Vapors. I don't think they had any other hits. That song will be in my head for the rest of the day now!

But you would have been able to furlough your staff if you were unable to open, surely?

But we are able to open. Legally. I've said so more than once.

I too have been sticking to the guidelines. I don't see what anyone's problem is. If people don't want to come to see us, that's fine. We're not in the business of kidnapping them.

In fact I'm sure I remember NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace as well. In that case I give you.....Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps Please (not the sitcom which stole it's name....)

@Spidey66

Oh, much better thread now. I remember all the old songs

Yes, that's where I got my user name. Fits me like a glove. The legs are to die for. The rest is questionable. It's a great song: all about a misogynistic bloke on a blind date, who gets his right at the end. Happy days ....which will return. Soon.