Soft play etc opening!

[Piixxiiee]

15th August softplay, ice rinks, more beauty salons,indoor events etc..... not sure what to think of that move.

Softplay - I think it's an unnecessary risk. It's summer and children can play outside. But I can understand the businesses are getting desperate. I'd be ok with them being open with strict limits on numbers but I don't know if that is financially viable.

Ice Rinks - I think it's silly to allow them for public sessions but I have a friend who is an ice skating coach who has been so active on social media about their inability to train athletes and make a living. Ice skating training sessions looks small, socially distanced and safe. No issue with those happening at all.

Beauty Salons - This one is crazy as far as I'm concerned. I don't think people should be getting that close to others for reasons that aren't medically necessary. But again, I can understand the desperation of those whose livelihoods depend on it.

Indoor Events - if they can make it work financially while implementing social distancing and masks, I think that's fine. If they can't, I don't think they should be happening.

It sounded like a regional approach from BBC News, which on balance I think is a good one. On a personal level I'm beyond excited to have my eyebrow appointment on Sat, have had the same beauty therapist for about 18 years. Really missed catching up. Will be fastidious about hygiene.

I wouldnt open any more. In fact werent they talking about closing pubs for schools...

Soft play is a combo of indoors and lots of surfaces. Even if dc dont spread it?? They do spread everything else.
Theyll start doing parties again too. Maybe we could have soft play instead of school.

I certainly won't be taking my DC to softplay.
I really feel for the business owners but it's just a unnecessary risk in my opinion.

Soft play is a germ fest at the best of times. I do feel for all of the owners/staff however.

Unfortunately because of the timing of the summer holidays, the schools are going to be the last things to open. I'm hoping to at least get a few weeks/months under our belts before any other closures, whether that's local or national.

Softplay is ridiculous. It is the germiest of germ pits. Skating is fine I think if not too many allowed in at once.

Don’t worry. They are only making sure the infection rate rises just in time for schools in September. Then, they will find out a way to magically reduce the numbers by reassessing how they count, and --fiddle their numbers to make the infection rate look acceptable and artificially-- low. Counting has been paused bla bla bla.

Does that mean playgroups too?

And toddler groups etc

I agree with softplay- it's a germ pit at the best of times! Seems a strange move a few weeks before schools reopen. I'm sure some places can do it properly and I suppose if schools are all going to be open and no precautions in place then why not let businesses open and make some money. I read they would have to abide by sd and masks for beauty salons,events etc Maybe controlled numbers for softplay but I suppose the kids will all be mixing in a few weeks anyway.
Think we can live without any of these places for now but hope this helps some people struggling financially with their businesses.

I thought we were at the limit of what we could reopen/do?!

I’m confused. It was only a week or two ago we were being told we’ve reached our limit in opening up the rest of society and possibly even opened too much. Schools are opening in the not to distant future, infection rates last few days are over 1000 and spikes in European countries, yet we unlock more of society! No wonder people seem to be doing what they want/deem to be responsible,far too many mixed messages.

Softplay is repulsive, sticky, snotty, dribbling kids are ghastly enough without giving them a maze of plastic to spit, cough and sneeze onto.

@CKBJ it was 2 weeks ago we were told me were at the limit, I can't see that anything has changed (apart from numbers have increased) in that time? Goodness.

I can't imagine what the government's decision making process is. I wont be using any of these services.

Another case of nudging the economy along and see how the death toll goes...

@Shitfuckoh ah 2 weeks. Thanks. Didn’t see your post before mine, I agree with you

I’m a big fan of softplay. We have 3 very clean ones locally & pre-2020, you’d find us in there at least twice a week.

However, even I think it’s a silly move. Nursery is a necessity to allow people to work. It was hell without it. But no-one needs softplay. My heart breaks for the owners of the small ones round us as they are all such lovely people who try their best to create a fun, safe & clean environment for the children. But the risk of spread in them is huge. Especially over winter when cold season kicks in & no-one has a clue what’s a cold & what’s covid! And it seems even dafter with the schools about to open as well

Didn’t Chris Whitty stress that we were at the limit of what we could reopen?

I empathise with all these industries so much but it feels like a terrible idea 2-3 weeks before schools open. Especially soft play. I just don’t see how soft play can keep every surface clean (The balls! The kids chew them!) or allow social distancing.

Well the government are really making sure that schools reopening will be fucked!

I hope baby and toddler groups are included/stay & play type places.

Soft play opened on Monday in Wales. The ones by me have been fairly quiet apparently, it's mostly the ones located in adventure farms/children's attractions that are getting a fair few visitors. They're limiting numbers and have removed ball pits/soft furnishings, and taking contact details of course. Most health boards in Wales are only reporting 2 or 3 cases a day though so I don't think we're at huge risk any time soon. I thought it was weird that ice rinks still weren't allowed to open here yet.

I think the issue with ice skating rinks might be temperature. It’s looking increasingly like the virus stays on surfaces longer in cool temperatures. As far as I’m aware a number of the issues in meat packing factories have been staff working in cold store areas.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

I think the issue with ice skating rinks might be temperature. It’s looking increasingly like the virus stays on surfaces longer in cool temperatures. As far as I’m aware a number of the issues in meat packing factories have been staff working in cold store areas.

Close proximity of working conditions and shouting over background noise are also a factor in the food industry. Some of the big cases have also been assiciated with overcrowded living conditions.

Public skating in a rink is pretty easy for social distancing, you don't want to be close enough to have a random person tumble onto you anyway.

Thank goodness young children now have apropriate indoor environments to play in after nearly 5 months. Keeping young children active and entertained, especially in inclement weather must have been very challenging for many families.

People are perfectly free to vote with their feet if they aren't comfortable with the risks but at least the sectors are now being given the chance for survival. One soft play not so far from me has announced its closure in the last week after many years of trading.

This risk is additional to that risk of overcrowding and shouting though BOGOF.

If it’s not that, then there must be something else that’s making ice skating more high risk than other activities. Although given bowling alleys are on the list perhaps borrowing equipment/shoes/skates.

The virus has a much stronger survival and spread rate below 4 degrees c. I think that is obviously a factor. As with all viruses and bugs, which tend to spread in colder months.