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Original poster

Being denied entry because you dont have the track and trace app?

468 replies

Rudolphian · 27/09/2020 18:54

I haven't downloaded the app due to personal reasons.
I have started hearing stories about people being denied entry to pubs/ restaurants and cafes because they havent got the app.
Is this true?
Now I'm wondering what I'd do if it came into work, or if I'm told its compulsory to have to go to the supermarket?
Pretty sure its not a legal requirement yet.

OP posts:
JamieLeeCurtains · 27/09/2020 20:17

This could end up being not-so-good for businesses at the time they can least afford it.

StarCat2020 · 27/09/2020 20:17

Particularly: Organisations should not make the use of contact tracing apps mandatory, and should give people options to give their details for contact tracing purposes
This is what worries me and the point I was trying to get to (badly)

There is nothing to actually prevent businesses saying "no app, no entry"

MarshaBradyo · 27/09/2020 20:18

I had to use it today to go out to lunch

I’ve not been asked for supermarket shopping though

jasjas1973 · 27/09/2020 20:19

@Ilovemypantry

What are your personal reasons for not wanting to help stop the spread of the virus?
Johnson did say in Parliament that testing & track an trace, makes no difference at all with the spread of Covid........ so perhaps you should ask him?
MorganKitten · 27/09/2020 20:19

Do you want to go out and still keep others safe? It has less info than any social media...

JamieLeeCurtains · 27/09/2020 20:19

@Ilovemypantry

What are your personal reasons for not wanting to help stop the spread of the virus?
I would assume that's personal.
Meuniere · 27/09/2020 20:21

Genuine question

How can you ‘check in’ wo the app???
And what is the point of doing so?

BewilderedDoughnut · 27/09/2020 20:22

I saw several people turned away today for not having it.

At another place I was at, the people without the app were HATED in the line as they had to give all of their details individually which took forever. The people standing out in the rain waiting for them were not impressed. Everyone else scanned the QR code and were in in seconds.

It's selfish.

WhentheDealGoesDown1 · 27/09/2020 20:23

I doubt they could insist on it for the supermarket as it would stop a good number of the population getting essentials whereas a cafe or pub is not essential.

eaglejulesk · 27/09/2020 20:23

Surely not. I'm not in the UK, but here businesses have paper forms which can be filled in by those who can't use phones. Anyone who refuses to let customers in without the app doesn't deserve to have customers!

wanderings · 27/09/2020 20:25

Maybe if people hadn’t been such idiots about giving their details it wouldn’t have got to this point
Maybe if the GOVERNMENT hadn't been such idiots with their lies, U-turns, hypocrisy, general incompetence, and total refusal to admit that they have made a lot of mistakes, people would trust them more.

Refusing entry on the basis of not having the app is barefaced discrimination. Some businesses think we haven't worked that out yet.

As for the government's ethical use of data: they tell us that the data is not stored, that it can't be used to trace our location. I call utter bullshit; the more they emphasise it, the more I doubt it. I'm certain they've sneaked this capability in; or they will do it in a update when people have become more "brainwashed" into accepting the app. I'm certain the government will use intelligence gathered by the app to send the squaddies round to those who might be breaking "stay at home for 14 days". They've probably already decided who their scapegoat will be when the public get wise to this, who will have to resign, and it won't be Saint Boris.

When the pandemic is over, does that mean we no longer need the app? Will pigs fly?

RiftGibbon · 27/09/2020 20:25

The app doesn't work on my phone as it's not a modern enough phone. I'm not forking out hundreds of pounds just to have an app.
I'll happily sign in to a book if necessary as long as that is GDPR compliant.

nancy75 · 27/09/2020 20:26

Supermarkets are not required to do track & trace because you should be wearing a mask for the entire supermarket visit.

BewilderedDoughnut · 27/09/2020 20:26

but here businesses have paper forms which can be filled in by those who can't use phones

It takes SO long!! If there is a group of six doing this, it's not very fair on all the people queuing behind them is it?

teenagetantrums · 27/09/2020 20:26

No way am l download the app. I can't afford two weeks of work if app decides l need to. Also l get tested weekly anyway at work. I rarely go anywhere except work or the shop so l don't think even need it

MarshaBradyo · 27/09/2020 20:27

Before the app we just filled out a contact form at the table.

Meuniere · 27/09/2020 20:27

Nice attitude, hopefully people lose their jobs because their employers are trying to do their best to keep people safe.
Maybe if people hadn’t been such idiots about giving their details it wouldn’t have got to this point

1- many may phones are too old to use the app.
2- some people find it hard to understand what they are supposed to do
3- if said businesses are actually doing what the government and the ICO was telling them to do (eg keep a paper record of people don’t have the app), then there is no issue re Track and trace and contacting them.

FWIW, if you are only using the app and logging in but switching it off, then it’s useless. (There are many instances where you need to do so. My teens have been told they have to when phones is in the locker for example. And I can’t have mine on at work either)
People can also download it just said outing and then delete it etc etc.
Using the app doesn’t guaranty more protection than paper.

SoUtterlyGroundDown · 27/09/2020 20:27

@BewilderedDoughnut

I saw several people turned away today for not having it.

At another place I was at, the people without the app were HATED in the line as they had to give all of their details individually which took forever. The people standing out in the rain waiting for them were not impressed. Everyone else scanned the QR code and were in in seconds.

It's selfish.

Literally couldn’t give a fuck if people standing in the queue behind me are ‘not impressed’ with me. Why on earth would I care what people I don’t know think about me?
Danglingmod · 27/09/2020 20:28

How is it selfish to own an old phone?

Numerous people I know or have spoken to this week have pointed out that their phone is too old to get the app, including my own dh and ds. All of them have plenty of money (that's why they do - sensible enough both financially and environmentally to keep a perfectly good phone for longer than the contract length) so would be good paying customers.

MIL and grandfather don't own a mobile at all.

I don't know a single person with a moral or political or conspiracy theory objection to it, just no phone or too old a phone. Ridiculous.

loulouljh · 27/09/2020 20:28

No-one will force me to take my phone out with me or use some stupid app. If I cannot go in well the business doesn't deserve my custom. Simple.

SoUtterlyGroundDown · 27/09/2020 20:29

Is it selfish that I only own an iPhone 6 too?

Meuniere · 27/09/2020 20:30

I have to lol at people been resentful at queuing for a bit longer when we’ve spent months queuing anyway (and still are depending in the shop you are going to)!! And especially been resentful of people not having the latest phone to they can use the app

If it’s not an issue to queue to go to primary, why is it such an issue to queue at a restaurant/pub? After all this is all to protect each other isn’t it?

Enoughnowstop · 27/09/2020 20:31

@nancy75. Nice attitude, hopefully people lose their jobs because their employers are trying to do their best to keep people safe. Maybe if people hadn’t been such idiots about giving their details it wouldn’t have got to this point

As above. The app is not compatible with my phone. Why should I be denied entry because I don’t have the correct phone? I am happy to give my details. Also as above. IS my money not worth the same as yours?

ancientgran · 27/09/2020 20:31

It takes SO long!! If there is a group of six doing this, it's not very fair on all the people queuing behind them is it? Wherever I've been one person does it as the lead person for the group, takes seconds to write your name and phone number.

My phone is too old to have the app. I'm a pensioner nearly 70, husband mid 70s I think it will be classed as discrimination as more elderly people will be excluded as they are less likely to have the most up to date phones. I pay £5 a month for my phone service and bought the phone about 8 years ago. I'm not going to pay hundreds for a phone and I imagine the up to date ones are hundreds. If I can get one for £5 I'll change.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 27/09/2020 20:31

@ChicCroissant

^I have started hearing stories about people being denied entry to pubs/ restaurants and cafes because they havent got the app. Is this true?^

Not in my experience - or yours, if you haven't actually been turned away from anywhere OP! So within hours of the app being available you think people are being turned away for not having it?

I was turned away from GBK for not having the app today. I was happy to leave my details but they insisted it's 'the law' to have the app.
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