Is this breaking the law re 6 people

[FallenSkies]

Next to my DC nursery there is a play park. After pick up each lunchtime I take him there to have a picnic lunch and let him run around and play before his afternoon nap.
Quite a few other mums take their DC there for a quick play too, and inevitably the children end up playing together on the climbing frame etc, and us parents stand making polite conversation when not tending to the DC (all socially distanced though).
Is it now breaking the law as there are more than 6 of us at the park, even though it isn't an arranged meet up? Or am I over thinking this?

I would think that is ok, if you were all sat together having a picnic lunch then i would say the rules apply, but not if you all come and go at different times and are sitting distanced on your own blankets.

Yes, it's breaking the law.

I wouldn’t stop going to your local park because other people you know do.

This happened to me this morning, went to local playground bumped into 2 other family
Friends who also live next to this playground, I will not stop going to our local Playground In case I bump into other local Friends who go there

Presumably all the children are together at nursery? And the park is open? So fine for kids to do their thing. Parents should remain distant from each other.

Yes, all the children are at nursery together in the morning. You have to walk past the play park to get to the car park or pedestrian exit, so most of the children who attend morning only ask to go in there quickly (around 5-7 children usually). My DC only started this term so I don't really know any of the other parents and it isn't an arranged thing.
Think I will still go then, remain distant, and hope all is ok.
The park is regularly patrolled by local PCSOs so I'm sure we will be told quickly if there is a problem

You are all using the same park which is open. The fact that you know each other isn't really relevant. It isn't planned and you are distancing. Wouldnt really be any different if you were all strangers.

If the park feels too busy to keep 2m I would reconsider but if enough space it doesn't really matter that you know each other. Would be wrong to plan it though.

Wouldn't give it a second thought.

@Lucindainthesky

Yes, it's breaking the law.

Where/what are the rules on how many people can be in a play park? If there are more than six are you meant to leave, can you stay if you don’t know them?

@Lucindainthesky so if I go to the supermarket and pass the time of day with one of the other 20 people there, am I breaking the “rule of six” just because I happen to be there at the same time as someone else?

Surely in allowing children’s playgrounds to be open, there is an expectation that children will play together on the equipment (otherwise they’d have invented a catchy phrase to say only one family can play on the equipment at a time).

I wouldn't think it's breaking the law as you're not there in a pre-planned group, you're just happening to visit the park at the same time.

No, if the park is open to all then anyone can use it. Unless there is a sign that says "you can only use this park if you are total strangers to everyone else"

The different views even on this thread so far shows how crazy and confusing the rules are.

@Lucindainthesky

Yes, it's breaking the law.

Would you quite the legislation which says you're unable to be in a public space with your child if others are there?

You won't be able to, because it doesn't exist!

@FallenSkies if you are 'Socially Distant' it's not, as yet, against any laws or guidance take your child to a play park. Nor to talk to other people using the public space.

It's going to become a grey area because people could arrange to 'co-incidentally' be at the same place, at the same time. At which point more places will have to be closed again, but for now, under the Rule of 6, you're fine. Enjoy while you can!!

Yes. Clearly against the law as you are all socialising and a family member reported seeing the police turn up with blue lights flashing and move a similar gathering on this afternoon.

@StatisticalSense

Yes. Clearly against the law as you are all socialising and a family member reported seeing the police turn up with blue lights flashing and move a similar gathering on this afternoon.

So what if they went and didn’t talk to each other? Does that make it within the law? We went to the park today. Probably about 8 other people on there. I didn’t talk to any of them bar a polite hello. So was that ok? Would it have been illegal if we made polite chit chat about the weather?

Yes, unless you agree to sir in distinct groups, ie 6 at one pint, 6 at another point well away etc

Yes it is breaking the law!!!

It's the same with school pick up. It's arranged as I know what time to get there and I know who else will be there (other parents in my child's class). Am I allowed to talk to them from 2m away or not? Amplified by the fact I am in local lockdown and not allowed to mingle at all.

Going by priti patel she would probably class it as ‘mingling’, therefore would be breaking rule of six. I personally wouldn’t give it a second thought and would continue to go after the school run.

If you are in a group of more than 6 adults chatting it's against the law.

It's all very confusing about whether you have to add in the children if they are playing separately so I would just avoid having too many adults all hanging out together.

Just being in the same public place as more than 6 other people isn't illegal.

Depends where you live!

Allowed but should be avoided In Lancashire (except Bolton) not legal in the North East!

Of course it's not breaking the law. There's nothing to stop you going to the park when you know other people are going to be there. Pointless Patel was completely wrong when she said you couldn't talk to people you knew in the park that you met by chance.

I'd be a bit cute about it though, don't just sit in a socially distanced group, sit further away from each other.

When you say it's not legal in the NE, is that because you're not allowed to sit down in the park? Surely they're not back to that nonsense again?

*Just being in the same public place as more than 6 other people isn't illegal"

Right. It's the chatting to each other part and even arguably watching each others children that is illegal. Basically any group activity has to be limited to 6 people.

If you're stood around chatting to more than 5 other people, it's breaking the law.

The fact that it's in a park, or it's unplanned, or you don't know the group is irrelevant.

Just because you think it's silly doesn't change the law.

@notevenat20

*Just being in the same public place as more than 6 other people isn't illegal"

Right. It's the chatting to each other part and even arguably watching each others children that is illegal. Basically any group activity has to be limited to 6 people.

The law is against "gatherings" not chatting. Chatting to someone who happens to be in the same public space as you isn't a gathering.