What would you like to hear from Boris Johnson's announcement on Sunday evening?

[Bletchleyite]

Absolutely agree.

Yes, some guidance could be provided, i.e. sit at least 2m away out front, bring chairs and any refreshments you want with you, and under no circumstances whatsoever enter the house (so plan not to need to use the toilet).

 

[westv]

Totally agree. After seeing how so many people were celebrating VE Day yesterday in their streets whilst maintaining physical distancing, including elderly people, we should be able to travel to visit vulnerable elderly relatives in an outdoor situation.

On another forum I frequent some people were moaning how street parties around them had descended into "distancing chaos". They were wailing how it "signaled the end of lockdown".

 

[Darandio]

On point 1, can anyone explain why local takeaways haven't been closed down atm due to Covid19 yet McDs, Starbucks, KFC etc have?

Because there is no need. McDonalds, KFC etc were never told to close.

The big chains did it purely from a logistical perspective. They needed to take stock and review operations to find a way that suppliers, staff and customers could operate within social distancing guidelines, some are starting to reopen on a takeaway basis. Independent takeaways didn't need to do this on such a large scale so could remain open while maintaining their own social distancing system.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, some guidance could be provided, i.e. sit at least 2m away out front, bring chairs and any refreshments you want with you, and under no circumstances whatsoever enter the house (so plan not to need to use the toilet).

I think the toilet thing might be more important dealing with vulnerable people. For example, I wouldn't enter the house or use the toilet whilst visiting my elderly parents, however maybe not so much with friends of the same age - maybe more stringent cleaning of surfaces afterwards in that case.

On another forum I frequent some people were moaning how street parties around them had descended into "distancing chaos". They were wailing how it "signaled the end of lockdown".

I didn't see any street parties round here !

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I'd like to see pubs with large beer gardens to be allowed to reopen. Perhaps, in order to avoid close contact customers would not be allowed to go to the bar and instead would use a food and drink ordering app like the one Wetherspoons use.

Oh and local authorities should reopen their public toilets as well. What's the point of a "wash your hands frequently" message if the only places you can do that when you're out and about are shut?

 

[westv]

I didn't see any street parties round here !

There weren't actually any close to me either.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd like to see pubs with large beer gardens to be allowed to reopen. Perhaps, in order to avoid close contact customers would not be allowed to go to the bar and instead would use a food and drink ordering app like the one Wetherspoons use.

Or classic table service!

Perhaps such pubs could also be required to hire in polybogs with sanitiser?

 

[Domh245]

If MOT services are open why the need to extend MOT validities for 6 months?

Because lots of garages were closing making it impractical not to extend validity. It also means that anyone who does need an MOT is more likely to get one, at the expense of there being absolutely no capacity for 6 months after this all ends as suddenly twice as many cars are due!

I'd like to see a plan for the phasing out/winding down of the furlough scheme over 2-3 months to encourage as many as possible back to work.

I think it will need to be scaled back to cover only those businesses the Government have ordered to close, and that as any given business is reopened it should be reduced for that area of business over time.

The flip side to the "if they're not on the shutdown list, then they shouldn't be eligible for JRS" is that a) many businesses will have needed to adapt premises/working practices to enable social distancing, although you do have to hope that they've got that sorted by now and b) the collapse in demand makes opening some completely unviable, which works for both the point of view of (eg) small food establishment in the middle of canary wharf with a tiny fraction of the footfall, but also (eg) car manufacturers with no demand for cars all of a sudden.

You can remove the JRS from these but in quite a few cases all it'll do is shift the issue from a massive JRS bill to a massive spike in unemployment and universal credit claims as companies either close or 'rightsize'. It's a tricky situation, but as with lots of the strategies with this virus it seems to be a case of offloading the issues to a few months/years down the line and hope we've got it figured out by then!

 

[Bletchleyite]

There weren't actually any close to me either.

Nor me - my neighbours were out in their gardens on one side chatting with the next house along that way but nowt else. And my house fronts onto a wide tree lined footpath so it'd be the ideal place for it!

 

[yorksrob]

I'd like to see pubs with large beer gardens to be allowed to reopen. Perhaps, in order to avoid close contact customers would not be allowed to go to the bar and instead would use a food and drink ordering app like the one Wetherspoons use.

Oh and local authorities should reopen their public toilets as well. What's the point of a "wash your hands frequently" message if the only places you can do that when you're out and about are shut?

I agree on both points. There should be a recognition that some smaller pubs and restaurants may need support to remain closed for longer, but for those that are large enough and with the facilities for spacing, it might be worth seeing how they go.

Or classic table service!

Perhaps such pubs could also be required to hire in polybogs with sanitiser?

Arguably the traditional urinal requires a lot less contact, and hand washing is better than sanitizer.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Put more police at motorway service stations to target predominantly families and groups making unnecessary journeys. They may ask anyone where they are headed, even solo travellers, but people with valid reasons can refuse to answer any more than one simple question.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Restoration of dental treatment services .

Couldn't agree more!! And also opticians to fully open. Also the NHS since they are coping need to reintroduce normal services non covid such as cancer treatments, operations, procedures, treatments etc which were postponed or cancelled due to coronavirurus.the NHS hasn't been overwhelmed so they need to do this or people may die due to other reasons.

 

[Qwerty133]

I'd like to see Garden Centres being told that due to widespread non compliance within the sector that they'll be the last thing to reopen (both to punish them for breaking lockdown and as a deterrent for other businesses thinking about reopening). I'd also like to see an announcement suspending the ENCTS scheme due to the continued use of public transport for non essential purposes by many pass holders. Equally I'd like to see less restrictions on exercise and the resumption of some solo sports (but notably excluding golf where footpaths cross the course due to the high prevalence of children on footpaths at the present time making it unsafe for golf balls to be flying around). Furthermore, I'd like to see a direct appeal to businesses that are allowed to be open to reopen.

 

[HLE]

I hope the government allow the golf clubs and fishing lakes to reopen. I walk far closer to people in the street and in a queue than I do on the golf course - even with the 2m distancing in place. Keep the bar closed and literally restrict it to playing and then going straight home.

The rhetoric recently has been about allowing those of us that are healthy to go 'back to normal' as soon as possible to help the economy. But with the golf currently a no-go, the pubs & restaurants shut, no rugby or cricket for the foreseeable future it's hard to see how I can spend my disposable income. Garden centre? No-thank-you. Takeaways? Er, well a lot of them weren't the cleanest before covid so I'll steer clear.

 

[HLE]

I'd like to see Garden Centres being told that due to widespread non compliance within the sector that they'll be the last thing to reopen (both to punish them for breaking lockdown and as a deterrent for other businesses thinking about reopening). I'd also like to see an announcement suspending the ENCTS scheme due to the continued use of public transport for non essential purposes by many pass holders. Equally I'd like to see less restrictions on exercise and the resumption of some solo sports (but notably excluding golf where footpaths cross the course due to the high prevalence of children on footpaths at the present time making it unsafe for golf balls to be flying around). Furthermore, I'd like to see a direct appeal to businesses that are allowed to be open to reopen.

Can't think of 1 course round here that has a footpath on it. All private with fences around them. 1 has a road running through it but theres no chance of being hit by a ball.

It's unsafe for anyone to be walking on a golf course whilst people are playing.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Nor me - my neighbours were out in their gardens on one side chatting with the next house along that way but nowt else. And my house fronts onto a wide tree lined footpath so it'd be the ideal place for it!

My 6 nearest neighbours (at the end of a cul de sac) put tables up at the ends of their drives for a distanced VE-day party yesterday.
They put flags out as well, not sure about the relevance of the Welsh rugby flag or the Liverpool FC one though!

 

[PTR 444]

I’d like to see the reopening of Garden Centres and some other non-essential businesses provided they can implement social distancing measures. Also, businesses that have voluntarily closed should be encouraged to open again. This could be helped by phasing out the furlough scheme until it is eventually only for the businesses that have been ordered to close by the government.

I don’t see why some solo sports and activities shouldn’t be to resume. Golf, tennis, motorsports and cycling can all be done without close contact with other players, so a gradual return would be beneficial. Just ban spectators until the virus isn’t under control and perhaps allow players to live in hotels on site so they don’t have to travel home and back.

The biggest risk is now care homes and with workers having to travel home and back, that is another risk of spreading the virus. I think provisions should be made to allow care home staff to live on site, so they can be effectively locked down and contained. In that case, only essential visits would be allowed and anyone doing so would need to wear full PPE.

In regards to travel, deterring passengers from using buses, trains and planes is the only way to compromise social distancing, and I think the best way to do that is to increase fares. If that becomes an issue for those who have no choice but to use PT, then perhaps offer a discount for key workers. I totally agree with Grant Shapp’s plan to encourage active travel and close some roads to motorised traffic. With the summer approaching, I think a lot more people will walk and cycle than before.

The announcement to impose a 14 day quarantine for anyone entering the UK will be a massive blow to the aviation and tourism sector. A lot of people will be put off International travel if their 2 week break is extended to 6 if they have to quarantine in both countries, but despite this I think there will be some people that will adapt, especially if their employer allows them to WFH while in quarantine.

Overall, I don’t think there will be any massive changes, although we should start to see the beginning of our long awaited exit strategy.

 

[Domh245]

motorsports

Because it's one of the things I'm particularly interested in and have been following, Yes but actually no. The drivers are pretty isolated sure, but things like marshal posts and garages are going to be tricky to maintain distance. You've also got to question how sensible it is to allow a fairly high risk sport to go ahead when we're supposed to be maximising the capacity of the NHS

 

[Ianno87]

Put more police at motorway service stations to target predominantly families and groups making unnecessary journeys. They may ask anyone where they are headed, even solo travellers, but people with valid reasons can refuse to answer any more than one simple question.

Police resources would be far more effectively used if targeted at speeders and drivers using phones, which are far more dangerous.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

I'd like to see Garden Centres being told that due to widespread non compliance within the sector that they'll be the last thing to reopen (both to punish them for breaking lockdown and as a deterrent for other businesses thinking about reopening).

I disagree, but mainly due to selfishness on my part.

If I am allowed to visit my veteran grandmother after 7 weeks of not seeing her, the local garden centre would be the first place I take her. She has been stuck indoors and relies on my wife and I taking her out to lunch there periodically

 

[yorksrob]

The announcement to impose a 14 day quarantine for anyone entering the UK will be a massive blow to the aviation and tourism sector.

Ramping up the price of public transport will be a blow for the tourist sector as well.

 

[ChrisC]

Nor me - my neighbours were out in their gardens on one side chatting with the next house along that way but nowt else. And my house fronts onto a wide tree lined footpath so it'd be the ideal place for it!

We had a lovely half hour in our village last night organised by the Parish Council. Lots of people gathered at very safe distances on the village green, whilst others stood in their front gardens. Wartime songs were played through speakers and people just stood around singing and chatting from a distance for about 30 minutes. It was lovely to see the smiles on the faces of some of the elderly people waving to their friends who they haven’t seen for nearly 2 months. That’s what we need more of, especially for the isolated and vulnerable elderly, which wasn’t difficult to safely organise last night with warm weather. Some of them, especially those suffering with conditions such as dementia, need to see their friends and relatives from a safe distance to reassure them that they are still there and are ok.

 

[Yew]

What I'd like to see: (This is slightly more in general terms, rather than all happening immediately on monday)

- Strengthening of shielding measures, testing and no-questions-asked covid-leave for care home and NHS staff.
- Individual/easily socially distant outdoor sports allowed, if appropriate measures are taken inside changing facilities.
- Allowing people to return to work if reasonably socially distant. Maybe a slight reduction from 2m spacing, if the people aren't directly facing each other.
- Continued furloughing (maybe with 100% pay?) for those who live with vulnerable people.
- Small social gatherings, at home, as long as reasonable distancing can be maintained. The risk of pubs comes not from your 4 friends, but the 100 other people in the room.
- Support for people who suspect they're infected, they shouldn't have to leave the house for shopping. Make it easy for people to be responsible.
- A general change to "Stopping spread to the vulnerable" rather than stopping spread in general, although there is plenty of room for debate on this.


What I expect to see
- Garden centres
- Vague measures around exercise, which put companies/councils at risk of a PR disaster if they interpret the mood wrongly.
- Phased return to work for those who can easily work individually
- Encouragement for voluntary closed businesses to reopen

 

[Qwerty133]

I disagree, but mainly due to selfishness on my part.

If I am allowed to visit my veteran grandmother after 7 weeks of not seeing her, the local garden centre would be the first place I take her. She has been stuck indoors and relies on my wife and I taking her out to lunch there periodically

Unfortunately Garden Centres are about the only kind of business that has seen a significant proportion not listen to the rules and there has been a not insignificant number of centres refusing to close throughout the lcokdown. In my opinion this means such businesses should be the last allowed to reopen as their selfishness has almost certainly led to a longer lock down for everyone else.

 

[Qwerty133]

What I'd like to see: (This is slightly more in general terms, rather than all happening immediately on monday)

- Strengthening of shielding measures, testing and no-questions-asked covid-leave for care home and NHS staff.
- Individual/easily socially distant outdoor sports allowed, if appropriate measures are taken inside changing facilities.
- Allowing people to return to work if reasonably socially distant. Maybe a slight reduction from 2m spacing, if the people aren't directly facing each other.
- Continued furloughing (maybe with 100% pay?) for those who live with vulnerable people.
- Small social gatherings, at home, as long as reasonable distancing can be maintained. The risk of pubs comes not from your 4 friends, but the 100 other people in the room.
- Support for people who suspect they're infected, they shouldn't have to leave the house for shopping. Make it easy for people to be responsible.
- A general change to "Stopping spread to the vulnerable" rather than stopping spread in general, although there is plenty of room for debate on this.


What I expect to see
- Garden centres
- Vague measures around exercise, which put companies/councils at risk of a PR disaster if they interpret the mood wrongly.
- Phased return to work for those who can easily work individually
- Encouragement for voluntary closed businesses to reopen

There are 17 million people classified as vulnerable so it is completely unrealistic to continue paying all of them to stay at home let alone those who live with them.

 

[Non Multi]

Because it's one of the things I'm particularly interested in and have been following, Yes but actually no. The drivers are pretty isolated sure, but things like marshal posts and garages are going to be tricky to maintain distance. You've also got to question how sensible it is to allow a fairly high risk sport to go ahead when we're supposed to be maximising the capacity of the NHS

As you may be aware the UK sanctioning body, MotorsportUK (RAC MSA) has suspended all activities up to 30th June. The major circuits have their own medical facilities. I expect very little domestic club racing to go ahead this year. All championships are working hard to reduce team and media personnel required at the track at each race. Many championships will race behind closed doors, or limit spectator numbers to allow distancing.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Unfortunately Garden Centres are about the only kind of business that has seen a significant proportion not listen to the rules and there has been a not insignificant number of centres refusing to close throughout the lcokdown. In my opinion this means such businesses should be the last allowed to reopen as their selfishness has almost certainly led to a longer lock down for everyone else.

Indeed but they improve the mental health of the elderly and help slow down dementia

 

[Bletchleyite]

Can't think of 1 course round here that has a footpath on it. All private with fences around them. 1 has a road running through it but theres no chance of being hit by a ball.

It's unsafe for anyone to be walking on a golf course whilst people are playing.

There is a public footpath straight across Tattenhoe Lane Golf Course in MK. However, rarely does anyone actually walk across it, there are plenty of alternatives and most people probably don't even know it's there.

 

[Qwerty133]

Indeed but they improve the mental health of the elderly and help slow down dementia

Pubs improve the mental health of and reduce suidicide in males so maybe we need to reopen pubs first.

 

[Yew]

There are 17 million people classified as vulnerable so it is completely unrealistic to continue paying all of them to stay at home let alone those who live with them.

I'm genuinely interested, if you've got any good articles discussing this 17 million figure.
(For reference, I'm not being accusation or disputing things, good information is so hard to find!)