So can I go Christmas shopping or what?

[Pumpertrumper]

So after having a baby in March it’s been a pretty shit year. I’ve barely been out or gone anywhere and been pretty happy to do it. I’m pregnant again and just recovering from awful morning sickness.

To cheer myself up I figured I’ll pick a quiet week day and head to my nearby city (15-20 min) with my mum (support bubble) to do a bit of Christmas shopping. MH wise will do me the world of good to leave my house and tiny rural village.

Got quite excited until DH said ‘you can’t as we are in tier 3 and the nearby city is tier 2’ WHAT?

For context we are right on the edge of our county less than a mile up the road it’s tier 2. There is a tier 3 city in our county but it’s over twice the distance and I’ve not been since I was a teen. It’s also crazy high numbers (hence the whole county getting dragged into tier bloody 3).

I’ve read the guidance and it says it’s fine to go to shops but to try and avoid travelling ‘out of area’ where possible. I would argue the nearby city is my area. It’s my nearest city (substantially) and nearer supermarket...etc.

Can I go shopping?

Yes but you should follow the tier 3 rules whilst there so not going in cafes etc. Shopping is allowed in tier 3 and it makes sense to go to your nearest shops.

We're tier 3, it's not stopped anyone going shopping. If the shops are open get yourself shopping!

You'll be fine. Go and enjoy a nice day at the shops with your mum. I did, it was lovely to get out after a month in with a toddler. It was really quiet and easy to distance.

It's so confusing but the guidance for tier 3 is ''you can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, but should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible''

We are doing things in tier 2 areas. We live in a village with 2 cases throughout the whole of the pandemic and have never been in to the nearby city (reason for tier 3) so I'm not about to start now.

Yes it's allowed but you are meant to behave as if you were in Tier 3, i.e not eat in cafes etc.

Yes you can. Contrary to what North Yorks police seem to think it's legal.

@JacobReesMogadishu is it true that north York's police are turning drivers away? I have to go to Bedale next week to collect to cats from a rescue. And the manager is really worried we won't be allowed in. Though since it a very fast road. I can't see how they could safely pull people over.

@JacobReesMogadishu
Yes unfortunately it’s North York’s I’ll be traveling into to. I’ve heard the same stories.

They were definitely pulling over cars on the a64 on Thurs going into York, using anpr to flag up the foreigners. I went via the a19 and missed them but if I'd been pulled over I'd have stuck to my guns that it's legal as long as I follow tier 3 restrictions. So no cafe. They interviewed an inspector on look north and tried to get him to admit it isn't illegal and he was dodging the question, saying there was a range of legislation they were examining to see what they could do. Total bollocks, go get the cat.

@Pumpertrumper our closest shops are north Yorks too. We’re over the border in tier 3 although our numbers are lower than the tier 2 town where the shops are. We’ve been shopping there today and it was fairly quiet. No border controls stopping anyone!!

I'm in the same boat OP, we live just in West Yorks and want to go to York outlet next week but hearing about the police on the A64 has put me off! It's annoying as we are closer to York outlet but if police are stopping people we will have to go into Leeds instead.

Just frustrating isn’t it.
Not being funny but NYP were not out in force pulling people over before lockdown when York/North Yorkshire was in tier 3 and half the residents were sodding off to the seaside every weekend!

Funny they’re out in force now huh?

NYP have got far too big for their boots over this.

They must have had lessons from Cleveland police who back at the beginning of main lockdown were stopping people going to the shops if it wasn't deemed essential enough.

I'm guessing though Andy Preston (Middlesbrough Mayor, lives in N.Yorks) will be free to do whatever he pleases.