Urgent - can two households still mix in restaurants?

[buttery81]

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!

And of course many have it much worse than us, I'm just having a moan.

That’s heartbreaking eastegg. You need to see your wee mummy. Is it possible for you all to quarantine, then visit her?

Aw thanks deliciously, it is rubbish yes. We did the whole staying in for a week so we could go and see them in July, and thank god we did because it turned out to be the last chance. No chance of quarantining now with 2 DC at school (one is a huge secondary) and one at nursery and I've just started a job requiring me to WOTH. And it would obviously be against the rules to stay with them anyway.

@RemyHadley

No, you can’t. Enforcement is unclear although there has been talk of hiring Covid wardens who would do random checks. Also I guess they’d know if you’re unlucky and test and trace ends up contacting you about that lunch.

They're already here. They go to pubs and other places as normal paying customers. Huge fine for the boss (a grand I think one was), littler fines for the staff and the customers involved.

Have fun.

@eastegg

Aw thanks deliciously, it is rubbish yes. We did the whole staying in for a week so we could go and see them in July, and thank god we did because it turned out to be the last chance. No chance of quarantining now with 2 DC at school (one is a huge secondary) and one at nursery and I've just started a job requiring me to WOTH. And it would obviously be against the rules to stay with them anyway.

Ironically, a lockdown would benefit you, in the sense that you could quarantine over the extended mid term break, unless you’ve out of home work commitments. I hope you get to see you wee mummy soon. sets down glass of wine and stops sniffling. 💐

That's a good point, I hadn't really thought of it like that, I suppose because it's against the rules to visit them at all. But if I thought I they were safe from catching covid off me, I would indeed be very tempted to sneak up there on my own, I'd go under the radar of any prying neighbours that way rather than the whole noisy family!

Enjoy the 🍷, don't sniffle too much over me, many are worse off. Thanks though, it genuinely does mean something to have some sympathy

Quaagars

I did not say it was not twisting the rules.

My posts were in reply to the implication that people who do that are responsible for spreading (even when the people in question did not interact except for on zoom..how on earth does that make thing worse really?). While yes, they are looking for ways around that law, I cannot really understand how it could be worsening the spread, given if it was not friends there, it would be strangers, and both friends and strangers are equal risk. Not saying people doing it are right..only trying to make a bit of sense out of others saying that will make covid spread more.

I have a restaurant booking for Monday and I got an email this afternoon asking me to confirm “in writing” that the booking was just for one household.

They're already here. They go to pubs and other places as normal paying customers. Huge fine for the boss (a grand I think one was), littler fines for the staff and the customers involved.

Wowser. We really are living in a police state now! These people are on the same level as traffic wardens in my estimation.

To those who asked "will the virus magically disappear". Yes it will. If you stop meeting up, touching, being in each others faces, just popping down the shops, meeting in pubs, letting people into the country, going on holiday to Spain and bringing back the virus.

Yes it will disappear.

Apologies @MessAllOver 😂

I have seen so many ‘can I report my neighbour’ for this and that over the last 7 months I think I’ve lost all sense of moderation on the subject

@loobyloo1234

I sense we have the same views on the curtain Gestapo so, funny as it would be to have the police in our quiet little street, I won't be informing on my neighbours if they don't shell out for new train tickets. As a bonus, I'll continue to feed the cat who is, after all, an innocent victim in their lawless and irresponsible behaviour.

@MessAllOver

It just shows how crazy the world (MN) has become that I actually thought you may report them for something out of their control. There was an OP on here who was too scared to take her elderly DM to an urgent bank appointment at the height of lockdown as she had nosey neighbours who would report. Your neighbours are lucky to have you and even more so if you feed their cat. Crazy cat lover that I am

Yes, though I may need to start a new thread to see whether I'm legally allowed to feed the cat this weekend. Does 'mixing households' apply to animals?

Haha the funniest thing is @MessAllOver I can’t guarantee that someone won’t reply saying you aren’t allowed and they’d report you if they lived closer

I love the person who said if we don't come they will bring in the army. To do what? I think we are past that stage. If they had wanted people to comply and save lives then they would have gone harder in the initial lockdown. They didn't.

The idea that the police will respond to reports of households mixing in a restaurant makes me smile.
You can’t get them to come to a bloody rave!!!

I agree with east above. I was saying to my son yesterday people who don't plan and then just do things at the last minute which is how many live their lives are less affected than planners. Eg I planned our summer holiday for 11 of us in January 2020 (which the company cancelled in June). We can't do a last minute as there are at least 5 employers to work it around and school holidays. Nor am I happy to plan something that might well not take place as it is waste of effort. Same with time etc to see family. Easter had to be cancelled (and obviously the graduations were too including the hotel rooms I had booked for £600 for those booked in Feb 2020). I am about to see my grandchildren for only the second time since Christmas! That has been booked for weeks and weeks around arrangements of all of us busy workers.... we will now all have to meet outside in London. I was not planning to be getting too close to anyone inside anyway but that option has gone as London is in the second highest tier. It is also harder for some of us who have been against all mandatory lockdown since March as we are doing something we know is wrong. If you think the measures are great it is easier. (I am following them all by the way).

The idea that the police will respond to reports of households mixing in a restaurant makes me smile. You can’t get them to come to a bloody rave!!!

The idea that the police will respond to reports of households mixing in a restaurant makes me smile.
You can’t get them to come to a bloody rave!!!

In my experience the pubs and restaurants themselves are policing it as they risk a £10K fine (first offence) if they seat different households together. I've already been called about a booking this weekend to check we are both from the same household.

we will now all have to meet outside in London

If you are Londoners, tier 2 rules apply wherever you are, so I hope you’re meeting outdoors and no more than 6

I agree it’s more of an embuggeration if you have to cancel long-standing plans.

I've already been called about a booking this weekend to check we are both from the same household.

How can they be sure you aren’t lying though? I’m sure you aren’t but I imagine some do?

And people expected to bring proof of address with them? Because surely that’s going too far?

@buttery81

They're already here. They go to pubs and other places as normal paying customers. Huge fine for the boss (a grand I think one was), littler fines for the staff and the customers involved.

Wowser. We really are living in a police state now! These people are on the same level as traffic wardens in my estimation.

Well yes but I imagine you get as irritable as anyone else if someone's illegal parking inconveniences you in some way Traffic wardens are doing a necessary job. You could argue Covid wardens are too, however we resent them when they impact on our personal freedoms.

I also notice that you laughed at the idea of the army being involved. The government is not ruling that out. Lots of people laughed when lockdown was talked about in March as 'We would never do that here' apparently. I would definitely not rule out the army being deployed to enforce some restrictions if the government think it 'necessary ' though I imagine they woukd be used more in restrictions in travel ( eg road blocks etc) than on policing restaurant numbers!

As someone who has a tier 2 a mile up the road this is exactly what will be happening in my area:
we will now all have to meet outside in London

I am aware that even though I am not subject to the same restrictions, it’s probably wise for us to live as if we are, despite the fact I know our pubs and restaurants will be full of people from higher tiers meeting their friends.

Tier two makes very little sense to me and its not like the politicians follow the rules anyway.