Will disruption over the October half term be the final straw?

[beanburgerandcheese]

Just that - will it be the point that people say enough is enough with this? Summer plans already disrupted, millions have planned for UK breaks through the October half term just to face potential disruption again. ow long will people patience last with this?

If people have gone ahead and made plans for October half term since March, then they are a bit silly and shouldn't be at all surprised if said plans are disrupted.

People need to start using common sense. It’s a problem and until it’s under control any plans are risky

I imagine people's final straw would be more to do with losing their businesses, income, or children loosing more education time.

I wouldn't prioritize a holiday over those things, no. Maybe not seeing family over Christmas?

I couldn’t care less about a holiday in October half term. I do care about being able to work, my children being able to get an education and to be able to take my toddler to groups so that he has contact with other children his age.

@unmarkedbythat

If people have gone ahead and made plans for October half term since March, then they are a bit silly and shouldn't be at all surprised if said plans are disrupted.

@unmarkedbythat I don't think it was entirely unreasonable for people to plan trips for the October break. I feel a lot of people are at the point now where they are just fed up and want to get back to normal. I can't imagine peoples patience going for too much longer if I'm honest.

No disruption to half term won't be the final straw. Those that have booked to go away will be well aware by now that the situation may change.

I don't care about half-term for the sake of a holiday. Surely keeping schools open after half-term is more important? So taking a quiet week or 2 at home seems fine to me.
Holidays will be there next year.
Disrupted education (especially in later teens) is going to disadvantage pupils for life.

For crying out loud a holiday is not the final straw.

Keeping staff in food factories, kids in education, the healthcare system going is all far more important than a half term jolly.

Just that - will it be the point that people say enough is enough with this?

They can say what they like but the virus won’t be listening sadly.

Anyone who booked a break in the last six months would have known there was a chance of disruption.

There are far worse things to worry about than this.

mass unemployment and house repossession with thousands homeless are likely to feature higher than disruption to holidays.

Anyone stupid enough to book a holiday at half term is asking for trouble tbh. If people are up in arms about that rather than the economy nose diving then they are just idiots with skewed priorities.

People knew the risk when they booked. I imagine that was taken into account.

Foolish to try, I think.

It’s so obvious what the government has planned. They wag their finger at us and give us one more chance to comply with the recent rules knowing damn well that come October half term they’ll be bringing in more stringent rules but it will be our fault.

@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer

People knew the risk when they booked. I imagine that was taken into account.

Foolish to try, I think.

Not necessarily true. We booked Center Parcs for half term back in January. Having said that, not being able to go on holiday is currently the least of my worries. Our ability to pay the bills tops it, unsurprisingly.

October half term will definitely NOT be the last straw!!!

Ha ha! What nonsense!

You’re funny, op

Bearing in mind we were told when this all started that there would have to be heavy reliance on a vacine, and knowing how long that was likely to take, anyone who has booked a holiday after March for October must have known the risk they were taking

When you say "the final straw", what do you mean? What do you expect will happen when/if that point is reached?

Riots?
The government rolls over and says we can all go back to normal?
The virus will throw its hands up and say "ok, you win"?

I honestly don't know what you mean.

We may be unable to go on our holiday because of local restrictions.
It’s not the ‘final straw’.
We had our Easter holidays and May holidays cancelled.
I lost my business that I had only just launched this year.
I haven’t found alternative employment.

My primary concern is for myself and my family not contracting Covid.
Followed closely by the schools remaining open.

A half term holiday is pretty far down my list.

People who booked since mid-March should have known it was risky and could be cancelled and they needed robust insurance so they got a refund if they couldn't travel. Considering how many ignored quarantining over the summer, I'd argue that there should be a travel ban over half term.

No Christmas will be the issue, anyone losing their mind over a half term break needs to get their act together

I think that people need to get away from thinking anything is the last straw. It is a negative narrative of a situation that is largely uncontrollable by the person who says it. No good ever comes of a last straw mindset. People need work on skills of being adaptable and accepting of change.

It might be the last straw for you OP and I do feel really sorry for anyone who booked before this but most people I know are hoping to keep DC in schools as long as possible and some sadly trying to pay the bills.

Each to their own though, we all have different priorities and judge others by our own standards.

@Gazelda

When you say "the final straw", what do you mean? What do you expect will happen when/if that point is reached? Riots? The government rolls over and says we can all go back to normal? The virus will throw its hands up and say "ok, you win"?

I honestly don't know what you mean.

To be fair, the OP didn’t say she wanted anything. She was just asking the question. Civil unrest is a possibility at some point although fingers crossed it won’t come to that.

In the summer we booked a short UK break for October. We were fully aware it may be cancelled so made sure we booked one with a decent cancellation policy. We decided this morning not to go as things have got worse more quickly than we anticipated. Of course we're disappointed but why would this be our "last straw"? There is so much else going on that trumps me wanting to get away for my birthday (or at all!) this year.

I don't think we were silly to book (hopeful maybe) but now we'll just make other plans.

@unmarkedbythat I don't think it was entirely unreasonable for people to plan trips for the October break. I feel a lot of people are at the point now where they are just fed up and want to get back to normal. I can't imagine peoples patience going for too much longer if I'm honest.

I've been fed up and wanting to go back to normal for months, I imagine the vast majority (people who posted rhapsodising about loving lockdown in the lovely homes with their incomes unaffected or even boosted by not spending on commutes and childcare excepted) have felt the same. But honestly, at no point since this started has it seemed remotely sensible to book a getaway for October half term. Did people think the virus would just give up and go away or what?