Bonny lasses assemble for the North East support thread 2!

[PennyDreadfuI]

Shiny new thread for all your north east needs.

Hello 👋

[quote Someaddedsugar]@legodisasterzone I'm also hoping the window is still a thing this year![/quote]
Would be hard for them to keep SD but am hopeful 🤞🏼

Checking in from Northumberland....thanks for the new thread

I’ve followed the other thread but thought I best join in on this one. I’m slightly inland from the coast on the North Tyneside/Northumberland border. Thoroughly fed up with all of this Covid bollocks now.

[quote Someaddedsugar]@BessieSurtees I know the exact place you mean - I've always wondered what that bit of road was for!

It's all change again as the road connecting that roundabout to the Anniston Centre has had a 'socially distanced layout' put in place and it feels like some kind of racing circuit as there are bollards down either side of the road and at one point in the middle of the road in order to accommodate a cycle lane on either side. Unfortunately it's very distracting while driving and a number of collisions appear to have already happened judging by the marks on the bollards![/quote]
I'm pleased it's not just me who finds that new layout terrible. I'm not a confident driver so was literally terrified driving along there yesterday. Will try to avoid that way in now.

What I need to get my head around is the pub situation as we have so many different takes on the rules & what is law & what is 'advised':

• Max of 6 - law - that's a given but...
• Max of 6 any household?
• Max of 6 but one household per table?

[quote Someaddedsugar]@BessieSurtees I know the exact place you mean - I've always wondered what that bit of road was for!

It's all change again as the road connecting that roundabout to the Anniston Centre has had a 'socially distanced layout' put in place and it feels like some kind of racing circuit as there are bollards down either side of the road and at one point in the middle of the road in order to accommodate a cycle lane on either side. Unfortunately it's very distracting while driving and a number of collisions appear to have already happened judging by the marks on the bollards![/quote]
DH says its because local authorities can apply for Covid grants to maintain social diatancing and encouraging cycling and walking to work, hence the weird bollards. No idea if that is true or not though.

[quote Someaddedsugar]@BessieSurtees I know the exact place you mean - I've always wondered what that bit of road was for!

It's all change again as the road connecting that roundabout to the Anniston Centre has had a 'socially distanced layout' put in place and it feels like some kind of racing circuit as there are bollards down either side of the road and at one point in the middle of the road in order to accommodate a cycle lane on either side. Unfortunately it's very distracting while driving and a number of collisions appear to have already happened judging by the marks on the bollards![/quote]
You should see the furore on Nextdoor about the cycle lanes and bollards on front street. Though dh noticed a massive puddle right across the cycle lane, at the weekend - one that's impossible to cycle around due to the bollards.

Well I've strained the blackberry gin I've been lovingly flavouring for the past couple of weeks so it's ready for the weekend. We've only been out twice since lockdown but my resolve is now set to batten down the hatches Sunderland pubs are shit anyway so no great shakes

We were due to get married up in Northumberland last July. Postponed till next year and we're seriously considering cancelling altogether now. Closing pubs early will have no effect, I can easily get drunk and silly before 10pm!

Checking in from sunny sunderland! Alreet marras?!

Oh that's sad penny re pizza express.

Reporting for duty from Newcastle.

Am fuming about the positivity rates for Tyneside last week. Around 11%. That's mainly an inability to get tests.

I'm not seeing much SD going on around suburban Newcastle.

In more positive news the guy in yum lush on gosforth high st was saying things are going very well for him as no one wants to go to Newcastle!

Hello from North Tyneside... pregnant teacher here! Take care everyone

Teessider here, not under local lockdown (yet)

Hello from County Durham 👋

@AntennaReborn

Teessider here, not under local lockdown (yet)

Waves back

@PickAChew @truthlemon and @DaddysGirl36 I am not a fan of the bollards. Totally agree they're quite a sight and must be really hard on new and less confident drivers. I wouldn't say I'm the most confident and when I remember I do go the long way round but my autopilot kicks in and I always head that way if I'm not thinking about it!

It must be awful for cyclists if there is a puddle - I hadn't thought of that!

And it would make sense if there are grants for this sort of thing. I think I was more confused as to why they'd picked that stretch of road rather than the one from the roundabout straight through to Durham and the Sniperly park and ride. It just seems a bit random to have a single stretch of road!

@Thiswillbeinteresting, @AntennaReborn
Morning Teesside!
How long do you think until we join our northern friends in a tougher lockdown? I've seen a prediction of Teesside as the next hotspot.

galaxy

Ha! I love that.

I was in Jeanine Dene yesterday and there was a young man carrying a cat on his shoulder. It looked as happy as Larry.

The bollards are very strange. If they do the whole route it will be a little less strange. I did always think it a strange life choice to cycle that way.

I feel the need to plan a day out in Newcastle with kids but don't know what to do. Usually in school holidays and occasional weekends we'd go for a potter and go to Meeple Perk and to Mr Wolf. So really I just want to go to those places but need something else to justify the trip.

Durham is getting so sad and shut up. Shop many empty shops. We have some lovely independent cafes and the glorious Meeple Games (can you tell I like games by any chance?) But you can't actually do any clothes shopping etc in Durham any more to necessitate having a break in a cafe.

@Thiswillbeinteresting
@AntennaReborn
Waving to fellow teessiders. Not sure how long it will be, I need to pop into Middlesbrough today so I will see how busy it is and what mask wearing is like.

Good morning from North Tyneside. Thanks for starting another thread, it's nice to know there are other North Easterners out there.

DH says its because local authorities can apply for Covid grants to maintain social diatancing and encouraging cycling and walking to work, hence the weird bollards. No idea if that is true or not though.

It is true - it’s called the Emergency Active Travel Fund.

[quote Someaddedsugar]**@PickAChew* @truthlemon and @DaddysGirl36* I am not a fan of the bollards. Totally agree they're quite a sight and must be really hard on new and less confident drivers. I wouldn't say I'm the most confident and when I remember I do go the long way round but my autopilot kicks in and I always head that way if I'm not thinking about it!

It must be awful for cyclists if there is a puddle - I hadn't thought of that!

And it would make sense if there are grants for this sort of thing. I think I was more confused as to why they'd picked that stretch of road rather than the one from the roundabout straight through to Durham and the Sniperly park and ride. It just seems a bit random to have a single stretch of road![/quote]
Most of that footpath along the a167 at snioerly is cycle path already. Pretty hairy with a randomly bouncing autistic teen attached to me. We only did that walk once! Similarly not a fan of the joint pedestrian and cycle paths along Framwellgate oeth and through Crossgate Moor. A lot of cyclists think they are entitled to go at full pelt and can be quite narky if you don't sense them coming behind you (my hearing is shit) and automatically leap in the right direction.

Far from everyone’s biggest worry right now, but DD1 asked if they would be doing Fenwick’s window this year. Has anyone heard anything? I’m clinging to any chance of keeping up traditions!

I haven’t heard anything but I’ll be gutted if they don’t do it!

@BikeTyson

DH says its because local authorities can apply for Covid grants to maintain social diatancing and encouraging cycling and walking to work, hence the weird bollards. No idea if that is true or not though.

It is true - it’s called the Emergency Active Travel Fund.

This is it, it's to divert people from public transport. I work for a non north east transport body. These bollards are... not something we would do

This is it, it's to divert people from public transport. I work for a non north east transport body. These bollards are... not something we would do

I haven’t seen them in person but they sound less than ideal!