Can you eat at a restaurant in another tier?

[Davespecifico]

I can’t find an answer to this online. If for example, you live in a tier 3 area, could you eat out in a tier 2 area.
I know travel from tier to tier unless travelling through, is strongly discouraged, but from what I’ve read, not banned entirely. So, is eating out in another tier discouraged or banned?

@RegularHumanBartender

The government website says "you can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open".

I think that's within tier 3

The following tiret covers travel outside the tier 3 area: 'avoid travelling to other parts of the UK, including for overnight stays other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities. You can travel through other areas as part of a longer journey'

Not for a night out or any other leisure or recreation purpose

You can legally, but it's not recommended. You can't meet anyone outside of your household or support bubble there though if you're eating indoors. I'd rather make my tea at home or get a takeaway delivered tbh - the only reason I go out for meals is to meet friends or family usually.

You’re not supposed to. However as I’m travelling from tier 3 to work in tier 2 I think I definitely will.

We’ve booked meals out in the neighbouring town who’s in tier 2. It’s absolutely ridiculous this now, the rules don’t even make sense!

Yes, you are allowed to.
You are advised not to travel.

Knittingaddict, when the advice given contradicts itself, you’ve got to pick and choose, haven’t you?

Wow. I'm genuinely shocked. I'm now tier 3, work in tier 2. I want to go out as much as anyone but does that mean my husband and I should head up to London next wknd for dinner and drinks? No. It means stay home, limit your contacts and get the infection rate down. Mixing is exactly why we're on this situation and January will be tougher if all do as we please.

Avoid is definitely not the same as 'it is illegal'. We have a pre xmas break booked in tier 2 area and we will be going if they accept us.

@JellyBabiesSaveLives

Yes, you are allowed to. You are advised not to travel.

Knittingaddict, when the advice given contradicts itself, you’ve got to pick and choose, haven’t you?

It doesn't really contradict itself does it though? If you think about it for two seconds the guidelines are meant to achieve something and can only be achieved if people are cautious. It hasn't got all the caveats in there, but any sensible person can see that you can travel to open venues within your area, but going out of tier 3 to a tier 2 just to eat out would be "unhelpful" in a pandemic. It's just the same people trying to bend the guidelines to suit themselves. Yes it's a bit vague, but the meaning should be clear.

We live in Tier 3 area 'A'. We have tickets for an event in neighbouring Tier3 area B. Event is being permitted to proceed. Can we attend?

The key word is avoid. It doesn't say "you must not". As a PP has pointed out there are no legal restrictions on movement, however much posters on MN wish it so. Many people will choose to travel, and I don't blame them one jot.

We have a pre xmas break booked in tier 2 area and we will be going if they accept us

Yes we will be doing the same.

@the80sweregreat

I'm tier 2. Pub sent me a email to say you cannot book a table unless it is just people from your own home.

That’s a totally separate thing. As I understand it restaurants can be theoretically shut down if they accept multiple households but not if people travel from tier 3.

@cheninblanc

Wow. I'm genuinely shocked. I'm now tier 3, work in tier 2. I want to go out as much as anyone but does that mean my husband and I should head up to London next wknd for dinner and drinks? No. It means stay home, limit your contacts and get the infection rate down. Mixing is exactly why we're on this situation and January will be tougher if all do as we please.

This. Areas will never move out of tier 3 if people don't follow the guidelines, or creatively interpret them as they see fit. I'm sure about a month ago researchers found that the Eat out to Help out scheme contributed to the increase in infections which triggered the 2nd wave.

I think it's a bit of a shit thing to do from a moral point of view. But not illegal. I'm in tier 3 and I won't be doing this, unfair to potentially spread it about. I'd rather try and get numbers down so we get out of tier 3 quicker!

You can’t eat out if you are in tier three, you can't go out of the tier three area So couldn’t drive to a tier two area. So no you can’t eat out.

They are not going to specifically list every single thing that anyone may do

If in tier 3 it says avoid travelling other than where necessary. So why is it necessary to go out and eat! It’s not. So no if in tier 3 you can’t go to another tier

@GameSetMatch technically you can. The rules state "avoid" travelling out of the area, it doesn't say it is banned outright.

I'm sure you won't be the only one to do it. And I'm sure it won't be long before Tier 2s become Tier 3s.

Why do people care about whether it's illegal or not? Aren't there things that you wouldn't do whether it was illegal or not. Smacking isn't illegal in England, but hardy anyone smacks their children these days. Unnecessary eating out is a bad idea in a pandemic from a virus control point of view. With a vaccine there is a light at the end of the tunnel and don't we want to see as few people dead or ill as possible this winter?

They are asking you not to travel, eat out and mix with another tier to reduce rates

Other areas have had to do this

Is it really that difficult or are you just special

Although I think you shouldn't otherwise we are never going to end this...we will just continue with the Hokey Cokey ( in tier two, out of tier two, in tier three, out of...) I'm sure Boris' mates will all be travelling to their holiday homes in Cornwall and enjoying the hospitality ...until of course in January, Cornwall will have to join the Hokey Cokey too!

Tier two means you must not socialise indoors with people you do not live with. This includes restaurants. You must not socialise outside with more than six people. Must not refers to legislation, so means to ignore it means breaking the law. It is not simply advice. Hospitality venues are wise to this and would not jeopardise their license.

I’m in Kent. We have two areas of high infection but the rest of the county isn’t - we were tier 1 but now tier 3. It seems mad that I can go get my nails done or browse round the shops for non essentials, but I can’t have a coffee while I’m there. My gym club is opening the gym and the pool, but no classes. I only use the classes but I’m going to be required to pay full membership for no service. But theoretically I can go on a treadmill, but can’t do a Pilates class which is socially distanced and sprayed and sanitised. I can sit in the bus with kids who’ve been in classes of 30 all day but I can’t have a meal out with my husband for his upcoming 50th birthday.

If we’re the highest risk and need to lock down, how come the virus isn’t a risk when money could change hands 🤷‍♀️

User

Op asked if she can go for a meal and the simple answer is yes she can

She can’t mix with other households but she never asked that

Tier 3 people can go on holiday to Tenerife so why are people saying they can’t go out their area!!? That’s bullshit - Stop making rules up

It’s advice only with regards travel and movement

If they wanted to make it a rule to stop you they would have

What do people not get about every interaction being a chance of transmission? Just because you work in a tier 2 area doesnt make eating in one sensible. Instead of risking infecting just the people you work with you are adding another group of contacts to those possibly at risk. It is large scale numbers game. See less people, less often and from further away is the basic principles of infection control.