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Urgent - can two households still mix in restaurants?

229 replies

buttery81 · 15/10/2020 10:10

I just read that London is going into tier two lockdown from midnight tomorrow, which means no households mixing indoors.

My question is, can two households still mix in a restaurant or pub? Just asking because my brother and SIL were due to come to my house for lunch on Saturday with my nephew, which is no longer allowed. Could we book a restaurant instead?

It's a bit silly if we can as presumably it puts us all at more risk, but if it's a way around the rules then we will do it!

OP posts:
MessAllOver · 15/10/2020 14:34

Btw, does anyone know what happens if someone living in a Tier 2 area is away when the restrictions are brought in?

Our neighbours are visiting the wife's sister in a Tier 1 area at the moment but their train back isn't booked till Sunday evening (we're leaving food for their cat). Just wondering if I can report them to the police if they don't make it back in time for midnight tomorrow?

NRatched · 15/10/2020 14:35

If you are sitting at the next door table, to talk to them, then you're not in line with the idea of not meeting other households.

While I get where you are coming from, I really don't see how it is more of a danger for people who know each other to sit on tables close (2m+ apart) than it would be for the same table to be used by someone else? Am not sure how it could be a problem really. Yes I guess its 'the rules' but common sense would surely say that thats a bloody odd one.

Mary and Joe on table 1
Sally and Frannie on table 2

This is not allowed apparently, and will make the virus spread more. But

Mary and Joe on table one
Bill and Ted sit on table 2 with their 4 kids.

I what world is it 'safer' if the second happens instead of the first? Even assuming same amount of people on each table..

  1. Mary and Joe
  2. Sally and Frannie

Very Bad and likely to spread. As these people know each other

  1. Mary and Joe
  2. Bill and Ted

Fine and less likely to spread. Because? Kind of nonsensical to me really.

Yes its a 'rule', but surely people don't follow rules that make no logical sense at all, simply because thats the rules?!

You can meet a friend who has blonde hair in your garden, aslong as you stay 2m apart, and only if its on the right side of the garden. The rules say you being on the left hand side instead, while still distancing 2m, poses more of a threat. It is also deemed dangerous to meet a dark haired friend at all, regardless of if its on the right or left side of the garden. Are there really people who would listen to the above (made up, obviously but to make the point) just because its 'the rules'? Or would they see that its a little bit ridiculous. Maybe some would follow that if they were told to, but I cannot really see it?

PracticingPerson · 15/10/2020 14:46

Yes its a 'rule', but surely people don't follow rules that make no logical sense at all, simply because thats the rules?!
It's a law not a rule, and yes I do follow laws I don't agree with. For example I don't agree with fines for term time holidays, buy I don't take them anymore

The people who know each other will speak to each other and conversation is a risk factor. Tables are very often less than 2m apart in restaurants. But anyway, spit travels a fair way in conversation Envy

NRatched · 15/10/2020 15:01

Law then.

And fair enough I guess. Makes no sense to me to stick to a law/rule that makes no sense. But each to their own.

(I have been following the 'rules', and continue to do so. I can still, however, see how nonsensical a few of them are)

Tables are very often less than 2m apart in restaurants. But anyway, spit travels a fair way in conversation

Well yes, but..someone would have been on the next table anyway, so the spit would travel still then, right? Or is friends/family spit more contagious than any other..

NRatched · 15/10/2020 15:02

Have not been going anywhere really though, so have not came across that restaurant thing so far. But, I genuinely cant make sense of how 2 friends on another table are more of a danger than 2 strangers, when the tables are the same amount apart and such.

NRatched · 15/10/2020 15:04

Speaking to each other..yeah I guess. But, the people on the next table could also be talking? Not trying to be awkward here, it just confusing the hell out of me really!

Ontop of this, the person who is being hounded for saying her friends sat at different tables and used zoom..how would spit come into that situation..if people are simply talking to their phone/tablet?

Inkpaperstars · 15/10/2020 15:14

I think you can mix households in restaurants if you sit outside.

loobyloo1234 · 15/10/2020 15:16

Just wondering if I can report them to the police if they don't make it back in time for midnight tomorrow?

WTF get a fucking life

Xenia · 15/10/2020 15:19

I don't thinkk the law prevents people travelling around England. Instead it stop you mixing so eg you could drive from London for a walk on your own on a deserted beach, Yuo could not drive from London to see your girl friend in Leeds if she were not in your household bubble.

Quaagars · 15/10/2020 15:21

@NRatched

Have not been going anywhere really though, so have not came across that restaurant thing so far. But, I genuinely cant make sense of how 2 friends on another table are more of a danger than 2 strangers, when the tables are the same amount apart and such.
It's not posing more of a danger as such, but can't you see that deliberately choosing to book a table next to your friends Pat and Ernie is a hell of a difference to sitting next to complete strangers?! I mean the former shows blatant twisting the rules to suit yourself, trying to find "loopholes", the latter just being out but sat near people.
yearinyearout · 15/10/2020 16:03

@ikeairgin as your dad is a single person household can't he be in your bubble? Or does that only count if you're a single person as well? It definitely counts as welfare check anyway so don't think you have anything to worry about.

ikeairgin · 15/10/2020 16:18

[quote yearinyearout]@ikeairgin as your dad is a single person household can't he be in your bubble? Or does that only count if you're a single person as well? It definitely counts as welfare check anyway so don't think you have anything to worry about.[/quote]
He could, although we are 7 hours driving away (West west west Wales and I'm in Birmingham. So that could be tricksy.

My husband says I shouldn't go as I would be breaking the rules, but surely it would be ok? It's not like I'm up and down to Pembs every week, we've been hoping that things change but it looks like he may be coming to stop with us soon if there's no other way around it

BloggersBlog · 15/10/2020 18:04

@loobyloo1234

Just wondering if I can report them to the police if they don't make it back in time for midnight tomorrow?

WTF get a fucking life

I am pretty sure this was a joke has lockdown magically performed humour bypass on some
MessAllOver · 15/10/2020 18:34

@loobyloo1234. @BloggersBlog. Yes, I was actually joking! They're the nicest, most law-abiding people you could ever met. Actually, they're already thinking about rearranging their tickets if they can.

BloggersBlog · 15/10/2020 18:44

@MessAllOver Grin I thought it was funny anyway! The thought of you poised by the phone as midnight struck Grin

MessAllOver · 15/10/2020 18:48

@BloggersBlog. I would find it quite funny just because they're the last people you would ever expect to have the police called on...Wink! But actually I'm annoyed on their behalf as they're quite distressed about the prospect of inadvertently breaking the law but it's going to cost them a lot of money to come home earlier.

HelloMissus · 15/10/2020 18:52

You’re not meant to - but restaurants won’t check when you book.

DirtyBlonde · 15/10/2020 19:03

You’re not meant to - but restaurants won’t check when you book

I wouldn't count on that. They risk a £10k fine (first offence) if they permit mixing of households.

NaturalLight · 15/10/2020 19:07

In the decent restaurants near me, they refuse to book next door tables. They also have Perspex screens up between tables so you can’t chat to the table next door. I will only go to the restaurants who have these arrangements - hopefully they are properly cleaning too

MC68 · 15/10/2020 19:08

Nope

NaturalLight · 15/10/2020 19:08

And The decent restaurants near me also check you’re all in one household, I just can’t believe people are trying to push the rules!

HelloMissus · 15/10/2020 19:19

dirty I generally eat out 3 times a week - more if I’m away.
And I’ve not been asked once Confused.
Usually you book online so they have one lead set of details.

buttery81 · 15/10/2020 19:34

It’s ok to talk to the waiter though....I wonder if a waiter who misses his friends could encourage them to dine at the restaurant he works at so he can see them? That way he could have little catch ups with them whilst he’s taking their orders etc?

Ha ha ha! Grin

OP posts:
Xenia · 15/10/2020 19:41

Wales may be going to try to ban people going to it from London. Whether Wales has that legal power may not be clear. If the regions want to stop being so connected perhaps London / within the M25 should just keep all its tax revenue and we become separate.

eastegg · 15/10/2020 21:07

At least the first weekend of London being in tier 2 looks like dry weather. Small comfort I know, but I will remember for quite some time the day in August when we ( me, DH and 3 DC) tried a last ditch attempt to see my elderly parents who live 200 miles away in the GM local lockdown area (we were at the end of a self catering holiday nearby which had been intended to incorporate staying with them for a night but that obviously had to be abandoned). So we met them in a park and it pissed it down, my poor DM who had a major stroke in January sat there in her wheelchair in car park while we tried to work out what to do before we had to abandon it and set off back to London with my DC crying in the car. It would have been illegal to go back to their house, as it has been since March apart from 3 weeks in July. My parents have seen their only GC once in 10 months apart from that bloody day. Really sad.

So those saying just meet outside, if you don't live close to the people you want to meet, so you can easily call it off and try again, it ain't that simple.

Sorry for the ramble but all these people complaining about the new (to them) tier 2 restrictions are reminding me just how shit it has been and continues to be, and how much easier it has been for some.