Tier 2 and coffee meetings

Jessuk86 · 2020-12-05T12:30:19+00:00

I popped into our local town centre this morning and as a treat took DD to costas all very well organised with a lady on the door delegating tables do all good. However I’m now a bit confused as we are tier 2 and i thought that meant you could only eat/have coffee with people from your own household/ support bubble indoors however there was a lot of people who appeared to be meeting with friends and the ones sat closest confirmed this as one answered the phone and announced that she had bumped into friend in next so they were just having a catch up in Costa. So have I missed something and this is allowed as would love to catch up with a friend over a coffee.

MaverickDanger · 05/12/2020 12:33

No, you have the rules correct. A lot of people aren’t following them though.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 05/12/2020 12:40

It would be better of businesses asked for proof of address for more than one adult, that way less rule breaking could happen and if caught not checking then both the business and customer should be fined for breaching the rules.

Pipandmum · 05/12/2020 12:40

You are correct it is not allowed in tier 2. I'm fortunate to be in tier one and it was great to meet up with a few other mums for coffee this week!

letsmakethetea · 05/12/2020 12:42

Wow, really?! I thought it was allowed if outside. Met a friend for coffee yesterday and all the other tables were groups of friends! The cafe bar were very strictly enforcing the no alcohol unless eating rule. But didn't care that we were all friends!

blametheparents · 05/12/2020 12:42

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

It would be better of businesses asked for proof of address for more than one adult, that way less rule breaking could happen and if caught not checking then both the business and customer should be fined for breaching the rules.

That’s a lot to expect of a coffee shop!

It would cause so many arguments.

MaverickDanger · 05/12/2020 12:43

@letsmakethetea up to 6 people are allowed in Tier 2 to meet outside but the OP specifically mentioned indoors.

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 05/12/2020 12:43

I think the OP is talking about inside Letsmake.

dontmesswiththeGC · 05/12/2020 12:44

I live right by a costa and Starbucks both of which have been packed full of people sitting together clearly not from the same household. Tier 2

Original poster

Jessuk86 · 05/12/2020 12:50

Just to clarify this was a Costa inside a shopping centre so no outside seating. I’m guessing they didn’t question households as it was just me and my 3 year old daughter it would have been pretty obvious we were from the same household. Glad I got it right as made question if it was different rules for coffee shops as I know for pubs it’s certainly just household bubbles as a friend of mine has not reopened her pub and is carrying on with takeaway food as she would not get enough custom as limited to household bubbles.

OP posts:

Original poster

Jessuk86 · 05/12/2020 12:59

Maybe they should have signs stating it’s one household per table as may discourage rule breaking

OP posts:

roarfeckingroarr · 05/12/2020 13:00

People aren't following the rules. There are also many loopholes e.g. "business meeting" (take your laptop, who would know). I had lunch and drinks with 5 friends + babies at a nice pub on Thursday because we met via antenatal and it counts as a mum and baby support group.

mooncakes · 05/12/2020 13:02

@roarfeckingroarr

People aren't following the rules. There are also many loopholes e.g. "business meeting" (take your laptop, who would know). I had lunch and drinks with 5 friends + babies at a nice pub on Thursday because we met via antenatal and it counts as a mum and baby support group.

I don’t think that’s true is it? Mum & baby support groups have to be officially organised, not just a parent get together

Witchend · 05/12/2020 13:05

This is why our café at work is staying as takeaway in tier 2. There are too many people that will "just happen" to meet to be able to stop people doing that.

roarfeckingroarr · 05/12/2020 13:05

@mooncakes the company (not NCT) emailed us to say it counts if we email them a list of attendees and the date we're meeting. They provided an indoors and outside risk assessment.

Hayeahnobut · 05/12/2020 13:09

It would be better of businesses asked for proof of address for more than one adult

Support bubbles have different addresses, so this would not work.

Whatever9999 · 05/12/2020 13:13

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

It would be better of businesses asked for proof of address for more than one adult, that way less rule breaking could happen and if caught not checking then both the business and customer should be fined for breaching the rules.

I live at a different address from my support bubble, so that wouldn't work, would it?

MissEliza · 05/12/2020 13:14

@Jessuk86

Maybe they should have signs stating it’s one household per table as may discourage rule breaking

Good idea.

mooncakes · 05/12/2020 13:20

I don’t think it should be up to the low paid cafe workers to police this - people know what the rules are, those like @roarfeckingroarr know when they’re exploiting loopholes.
Cafe staff would just get abuse from people if they try to enforce anything.

Racoonworld · 05/12/2020 13:22

@roarfeckingroarr

People aren't following the rules. There are also many loopholes e.g. "business meeting" (take your laptop, who would know). I had lunch and drinks with 5 friends + babies at a nice pub on Thursday because we met via antenatal and it counts as a mum and baby support group.

Mum and baby support groups have to be run by recognised groups and open to everyone, you can’t just meet with 5 mum friends because you met at NCT!

roarfeckingroarr · 05/12/2020 13:31

@Racoonworld we can if we make a note of who attends and inform the group we met through of where and when we meet.

@mooncakes you call it exploiting loopholes. I call it a vital lifeline for a group of new mums with tiny babies who don't want to spend hours in cold and rain.

mooncakes · 05/12/2020 13:37

[quote roarfeckingroarr]@Racoonworld we can if we make a note of who attends and inform the group we met through of where and when we meet.

@mooncakes you call it exploiting loopholes. I call it a vital lifeline for a group of new mums with tiny babies who don't want to spend hours in cold and rain.[/quote]
You yourself called it a loophole!

mooncakes · 05/12/2020 13:45

I’d love to see the risk assessment for a mum & baby pub lunch support group Any mention of social distancing?

MaverickDanger · 05/12/2020 13:51

There are a number of mum and baby groups still running all over the country in proper conditions ie in a church or village hall rather than via a loophole.

Mums are required to wear masks and keep 2m apart.

Racoonworld · 05/12/2020 13:52

[quote roarfeckingroarr]@Racoonworld we can if we make a note of who attends and inform the group we met through of where and when we meet.

@mooncakes you call it exploiting loopholes. I call it a vital lifeline for a group of new mums with tiny babies who don't want to spend hours in cold and rain.[/quote]
Your group is giving you the wrong advice, that isn’t allowed. I know because we have properly looked into it for NCT. Support groups are allowed to meet, but it has to be open to everyone (booking systems can be used), and subject to covid measures such as distancing, entrance/exits etc. NCT are running billable group walks for example which are allowed in larger groups.

CeibaTree · 05/12/2020 13:59

I wouldn't get too upset about this OP, the R rate is falling across most of the UK. Maybe enough people are following the rule to make a difference or maybe the rules are pointless. No one really knows at this point I don't think. You just have to hope that none of the people mixing had a clinically vulnerable household member on the off-chance they did pick up the virus.