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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think the RHS didn't need to close immediately and boot everyone out as a mark of respect?

322 replies

SurreyMumOfOne · 09/04/2021 15:48

As a mark of respect to Prince Philip, the RHS have decided to close all of their gardens immediately today. Any people already inside have been herded out. Tickets are incredibly difficult to get hold of because they are so limited at the moment. There are reports on social media of families using it as a place to meet (as permitted) who haven't seen each other for a year now having to leave; no covid safe measures at the exit; traffic tailbacks as people arriving are being turned immediately away. Lots of upset and confusion.

They have also said they will close on the day of the funeral and I have no issue with this.

AIBU to think this is an ill thought through and unnecessary move? Surely there are better ways to show respect? What about respect for the visitors?

OP posts:
MeanderingGently · 09/04/2021 22:23

RHS closed? Bonkers, how is that a mark of respect? I'm thoroughly for the Royal family, I've always respected Duke of Edinburgh lots and understand how his death is a big thing for the nation. However, shutting a garden is quite daft, it's particularly ill-thought through when we're in lockdown and so everything is ticketed and it's difficult to get tickets in the first place.....

Original poster
SurreyMumOfOne · 09/04/2021 22:30

Sorry @SprungisSpringYaY a few gardens dotted across England a bit like National Trust gardens (think big open spaces, lovely to walk around, open whilst most other things aren't, preferable for many compared to pure nature due to the availability of toilets, coffees, paved paths and playgrounds). Currently operating under a timed and ticketed entry system. Very hard to get tickets to.

OP posts:
ConstanceGracy · 09/04/2021 22:34

That’s nuts . We’ve really struggled to get tickets to our local RHS (wisley) and as sad as it is I don’t really see what this has achieved apart from to piss people off .

TooStressyTooMessy · 09/04/2021 22:42

When we visit my parents (once or twice a year in normal times) we go to Wisley. I am by no means paranoid but this has really made me doubt that as clearly they are also woefully unprepared for any kind of evacuation in an emergency. I can only hope the silver lining in this shitshow is that they look at their emergency planning. It is clear that had there been a genuine reason to evacuate things could not have been done calmly or safely.

Dongdingdong · 09/04/2021 22:44

Prince Philip would have thought this utterly ridiculous, as do I.

Jaxhog · 09/04/2021 23:10

@Dongdingdong

Prince Philip would have thought this utterly ridiculous, as do I.
This. He would have been appalled I think.
Horridcreature · 09/04/2021 23:16

This is something that should have been kept under review as the DoE and Queen got older and any death would be less of a shock.

Then it should have been discussed at the point that Covid re-opening began - would there be offence from Royal household if they stayed open.

The DoE was Patron of about 750 charities. Many have released a statement see here for some. I haven’t seen things shut as sign of respect - eg BHF or Muscular Dystrophy society helplines

StoneofDestiny · 09/04/2021 23:19

Yes - utterly ridiculous thing to do. An inane decision and shows contempt for the members and visitors, rather than respect for a dead 99 year old.

LadyDangerfield · 09/04/2021 23:23

If they wanted to close then giving prior notice is fine but booting people out today is going to bite them in the arse. Not very good publicity for the RHS, whoever thought of this idea didn't think it through carefully.

Miljea · 09/04/2021 23:30

@Dingleydel

To be fair to the RHS and the staff, they clearly didn’t want to kick people out. There were many elderly people there who were as horrified and upset as the younger families. They said it was a direct order from ‘the palace’ and as it was royal protocol they had no choice. If it turns out someone at the RHS could have made the decision not to close then it’s a disgrace and shame on them. But I fear it shows more about the antiquated ridiculous ‘protocols’ of the palace than it does about the RHS management. This sort of thing has no place in modern society. And yes the road was a complete hazard for those leaving and plenty still arriving who hadn’t got the message.

Well, I think we'd quite like to know who, at 'The Palace' ordered this.

They need some 2021 cultural awareness training. And I speak as a RHS member, MC white woman knocking 60.

CeibaTree · 09/04/2021 23:53

I'm kind of tempted to cancel my membership in protest, but Wisley is such a convenient meeting place!

I'm not sure how they are planning to give everyone today a chance to rebook when most slots are full. It will take their PR years to recover from this.

TempsPerdu · 10/04/2021 00:04

It will take their PR years to recover from this

My PIL, who were at Wisley today, are the most mild mannered, unflappable people ever and they were absolutely incensed by this. If they’re angry, the RHS should be worried!

The garden is over an hour’s journey for them, and it had taken them four hours of online queueing to get tickets. They were there for about 15mins before being turfed out.

Thewithesarehere · 10/04/2021 00:04

@CeibaTree

I'm kind of tempted to cancel my membership in protest, but Wisley is such a convenient meeting place!

I'm not sure how they are planning to give everyone today a chance to rebook when most slots are full. It will take their PR years to recover from this.

A PR disaster indeed.
Original poster
SurreyMumOfOne · 10/04/2021 06:27

@Dingleydel

To be fair to the RHS and the staff, they clearly didn’t want to kick people out. There were many elderly people there who were as horrified and upset as the younger families. They said it was a direct order from ‘the palace’ and as it was royal protocol they had no choice. If it turns out someone at the RHS could have made the decision not to close then it’s a disgrace and shame on them. But I fear it shows more about the antiquated ridiculous ‘protocols’ of the palace than it does about the RHS management. This sort of thing has no place in modern society. And yes the road was a complete hazard for those leaving and plenty still arriving who hadn’t got the message.
I very much doubt this was anything other than an RHS decision or we would surely have seen more widespread closures from other organisations?

It sounds like the staff at the coal face did a great job in a difficult circumstance but possibly a message got muddled along the way as in 'been told to close because of RHS protocol' or similar merged into been told to close by the Palace?

OP posts:
Ginuwine · 10/04/2021 06:39

This is a completely bizarre act of self sabotage. Unfortunately I am not wholly surprised (although would never have predicted the closure!) because it is run by very insular people whom you would expect to be far more customer focused and better planned.

I would love to have been in the room at RHS Wisley to understand that decision making process. To witness the bizarre forelock-tugging and the completely disconnected rationale.

The fact as well that no one seems to have thought about folk who may have travelled hours to get to Surrey, who certainly spent hours online booking, who deserved their moment in the gardens, where they may well have taken time to remember HRH in their own way.

RHS Wisley have desperately needed a modern 21st century brand and media team but this is just confirmation of this.

Will they even read this? Will customer opinion ever matter when they most likely believe they have a endless trough of retired and family members who will pay subscriptions no matter what?

Original poster
SurreyMumOfOne · 10/04/2021 06:55

@Ginuwine It wasn't Wisley specific, it was all RHS gardens so came from RHS HQ, wherever last is in the 19th century

OP posts:
SushiGo · 10/04/2021 07:20

They have obviously severally misunderstood protocol, which is a real shame.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 10/04/2021 07:20

[quote terfinginthevoid]For anyone else who feels the BBC coverage is now rather excessive after the peaceful death of a 99 year old, they have now set up a dedicated complaints page:
www.bbc.co.uk/contact/death-duke-of-edinburgh-tv-coverage/#/Notificationpage:[/quote]
They've probably set this up so that all they have is a list of e-mail addresses (including mine), rather than pages of irate, and possibly abusive, text.

The coverage angered me, not only because it was so repetitive, and on every channel, but because there are many people, mostly elderly, who are still trapped indoors, still without visitors, perhaps with poor eyesight and unable to read, sew etc, for whom the TV is the only way to alleviate tedium.

It was ridiculously thought less.

SushiGo · 10/04/2021 07:20

Well that's an annoying autocorrect.

QuidditchQueen · 10/04/2021 07:25

YANBU - utterly ridiculous yet another bossy controlling action like we haven’t had enough of those this year.
A very old person who has had a privileged life dies. No reason for this egregious nonsense.

Notavegan · 10/04/2021 07:30

I wonder who made that crazy decision. Should have had a garden sit in

QuidditchQueen · 10/04/2021 07:31

Parliament will pass no new laws
Couldn’t care less shout the flags at half mast etc but scandalous to stop parliament!
Just shows what an utter anachronism the monarchy is.

StoneofDestiny · 10/04/2021 07:33

So many similarities to behaviour in North Korea and other commie states - media control of the masses, forced 'mourning', blanket coverage of a man we are told we should 'revere', closure of public spaces to enforce 'mourning and respect' on us. All this while pumping out propaganda about how great the man was. Britain can never again criticise places that have 'state control' or that don't give a balanced view of history.

StoneofDestiny · 10/04/2021 07:45

Exiled as a baby in an orange box, parents divorced and mother in mental institution, older sister and family dying in plane crash, saw combat in WW2, forced to abandon career he lived to support the Queen. Yep, life absolute bed of roses

These aren't achievements!
Yep, he served in WW2 - as did millions of others did. Many millions died in WW2 and collectively they get 2 minutes silence! Millions more were maimed and scarred for life. As for 'forced to abandon his career to support his wife' - have you any idea just how many people have to do that as their partner is chronically disabled? Have you any idea how the country 'rewards' them for that 'sacrifice'?

The man was an out an out racist, an embarrassment to the country he was supposed to represent. He 'gave up his career' to live in complete luxury at taxpayers expense, able to follow his expensive hobbies at will. He was anything but housebound by his 'sacrifice' and more often than not showed utter contempt for the people and places he visited.

He died at 99 - a long life by any bodies standards. He didn't die of overwork or from going without. Let's not cover reality with propaganda.

longwayoff · 10/04/2021 07:46

Absurd over reaction by RHS. However, he'd be both irritated and amused by all the bowing and scraping taking place so I hope he's
somewhere where he can laugh at it all. Ridiculous is an under statement.

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