How was the "new normal" pub/cafe experience for you?

[yorksrob]

Had a delicious runny egg and tomato sandwich from the local cafe.

Attempted to book a place at the pub after my walk and was less successful. There wasn't a time slot, it was raining etc so gave up.

 

[Domh245]

it was raining etc so gave up.

The rather miserable weather does seem to have helped keep things rather tame!

 

[yorksrob]

The rather miserable weather does seem to have helped keep things rather tame!

Indeed, although I wasn't exactly planning a rave up !

I'll try properly on Friday.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I would say that only about 50% of the pubs in York city centre, which is a Saturday hot spot, were open today which surprised me. Most of the ones which were shut are opening Monday.

York has got things right. Personally I would have said reopen from the 1st of July in stages. A Wednesday isn't the most popular evening to go out - a little more than a Monday or a Tuesday but far below the weekend and even a fair way below Thursday. Then some reopen today, some reopen Monday and so on and so forth.

 

[Darandio]

Perhaps I’ve been brainwashed by our politicians and idiots (my opinion) such as dim-Whitty.

Yes, it certainly sounds like you have. As someone coming anywhere near you was uncomfortable, are you also one of those people that would rather jump into a road filled with traffic rather than pass by a fellow human being?

 

[Freightmaster]

Well now I’ve been to the pub too. Compared to the rather traumatic feeling I got having my hair cut (see earlier) the experience in the boozer was diametrically opposite. Friendly faces, tables well spaced, a few marks on the floor and signs on the wall, no booking needed, no queue to get in, no time limit, no name or phone number required, no masks or PPE. Some great beer, but otherwise everything much as it was before.

Likewise.

Visited a nearby country pub for a meal this afternoon and there were only three differences to pre-lockdown:

- separate 'entry' and 'exit' doors

- name and address taken

- stools by the bar removed*


Apart from that, the atmosphere was very friendly/relaxed - none of the staff were wearing PPE,
but they were constantly cleaning and sanitising tables/cutlery, etc.


*the 'regulars' were catered for by several small tables a metre or so from the bar,
from where they were happily chatting to each other/the bar staff.


All in all, definitely not the sterile/unwelcoming experience that many people (myself included) were predicting,
but I expect that the chain pubs will have more rules in place, so they might not be so enjoyable...



MARK

 

[Howardh]

York has got things right. Personally I would have said reopen from the 1st of July in stages. A Wednesday isn't the most popular evening to go out - a little more than a Monday or a Tuesday but far below the weekend and even a fair way below Thursday. Then some reopen today, some reopen Monday and so on and so forth.

Yeah, York's a bot of a tourist honeypot with a lot crammed into a small area, as opposed to somewhere like Manchester where everyone's spread out around the city centre. I normally go to the gay village in Manchester, but due mainly to the lack of trains home, will be avoiding; no idea how many places are open (Goose is!) and how busy they will be, usually in summer the canal-side street is packed, let alone the bars!

That can wait, my local town can entertain me tonight.

 

[Busaholic]

Went past my local Wetherspoon (open) and the tables and chairs always outside the front have disappeared! So much for encouraging open air drinking! Around the corner, where I live, the public road is now to be closed Thu-Sun evenings to allow the pubs (three) and restaurant (one) to have tables outside. Tonight, in weather conditions like late autumn, only the restaurant had bothered, and one of the pubs has yet to open.

 

[Skymonster]

Today I have:

• Had my hair cut
• Travelled on a bus several times
• Eaten food bought from a take away
• Drank several pints in a pub
• Shopped in high street stores

In two to three weeks time I will let you know whether I am:

• Fine
• Dead
• In intensive care

In the mean time, I am delighted that the nation seems to be on the road to returning to normality.

 

[Pete 1981]

Little bit of railway interest; a drink at what looks like the East Lancs (Bury?) - https://twitter.com/TomGeorgeMEN/status/1279442876800385029/photo/1
- couple of patrons on the platform next to an old train. Anyone confirm the location??
Think they need the custom, good on people goingdown supporting.

Trackside is a bar adjoining the ELR.

 

[Cowley]

Today I have:

• Had my hair cut
• Travelled on a bus several times
• Eaten food bought from a take away
• Drank several pints in a pub
• Shopped in high street stores

In two to three weeks time I will let you know whether I am:

• Fine
• Dead
• In intensive care

In the mean time, I am delighted that the nation seems to be on the road to returning to normality.

Well that certainly made my other half chuckle...

 

[MrTurbostar170]

There was nobody in the local garden centre café earlier today.

One pub in my town is also holding off opening until September.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I visited my local pub this afternoon,absolutely lovely to be back. Pre-entry alcohol rub at entrance,given the choice of inside or out (in for me),once seated phone number and order taken (they know my name already). Pint arrived on a tray,cash no problem,placed in a tray and change returned in a tray after which it was steralized. Everybody was well behaved and large groups were turned away. Staff were thouroghly professional and as friendly as ever. Roll on tomorrow lunchtime. Takes a bit of getting used to not standing at the bar.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Little bit of railway interest; a drink at what looks like the East Lancs (Bury?) - https://twitter.com/TomGeorgeMEN/status/1279442876800385029/photo/1
- couple of patrons on the platform next to an old train. Anyone confirm the location??
Think they need the custom, good on people goingdown supporting.

M 35314 is indeed one of East Lancs Railways' Mark 1 carriages, and the location does indeed look to be the "Trackside" bar on Platform 2 at Bury, Bolton Street station, as already confirmed by pete 1981.

 

[sheff1]

I thought I might go for a drink today but the nearest pub had two security (no masks) on the door accompanied by a staff member kitted out like someone in an operating theatre. I decided to wait until the smaller pubs open, which is apparently going to be from Mon/Tues.

 

[High Dyke]

Called in to the club after work as I had to make some final preparations for re-opening this evening. Impressed at the social distance measures the committee have provided, so far; even if I disagree with re-opening so soon. Couldn't resist some humour with the signage. Basically you order/pay at one end of the bar and collect at the other.

 

[MikeWM]

Well, I went to the cinema this afternoon (the Odeon in Norwich, was pretty much the closest one that opened today).

Observations:

- Nice to be back! I usually go to the cinema multiple times a week and have for years. An almost four-month gap was very odd.

- Perhaps surprisingly, they weren’t doing allocated seating - instead someone showed me to the screen and told me every other row was in use, and to leave empty seats from other people. I was the only person in my row (I like to sit very near the front, which no-one else seems to want to do...) so that wasn’t an issue.

- The cinema was a lot quieter than usual on a Saturday afternoon, but actually busier than I expected for day one. About 20 people in my screening, which doesn’t seem bad for a film that came out last year and has been out on DVD for at least a couple of months.

- Staff mostly visored, some masked, some neither. No punters were masked that I noticed.

- Fewer adverts than usual before the film, which is nice

- Not taking cash, alas, but given they weren’t doing anything else for contact tracing I guess that’s how they intend to manage it for now.

- Some one-way signage etc. but didn’t seem excessive. Staff were friendly enough.

So, a satisfying trip.

 

[Journeyman]

Pity us stuck in Scotland here. Glad to hear things are going alright - fingers crossed it keeps going that way.

 

[anthony263]

Can't wait for the end of the 5 mile rule in Wales. Did get my wife a Starbucks today at Sarn services. Place was very busy. Burger King only allowing you to order on touchscreen machines and collect from the counter

 

[Richard Scott]

Can't wait for the end of the 5 mile rule in Wales. Did get my wife a Starbucks today at Sarn services. Place was very busy. Burger King only allowing you to order on touchscreen machines and collect from the counter

Were they cleaning screens between each customer - if not best let the COVID-stasi know and shut down Burger King immediately! Must be putting countless people at risk. Don't worry expect Drakeford will be along to save everyone!!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

You're allowed a group of 6 outside from as many households as desired.

 

[johnnychips]

Very dead in Sheffield tonight. Boris will be pleased. The pubs that serve the beer I like aren’t opening till Monday, so I didn’t bother going in any.

 

[Class 33]

Take a look at the photos of the streets of Soho tonight on the Sky News website. No "social distancing" going on there by the looks of it! It's absolutely rammed!

 

[bramling]

Very dead in Sheffield tonight. Boris will be pleased. The pubs that serve the beer I like aren’t opening till Monday, so I didn’t bother going in any.

Fairly quiet in my home town tonight.The combination of wind and light rail may well have contributed to that. Having said that, driving back from Tesco earlier we passed a few pubs which had fairly full car parks.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Fairly in my home town tonight.The combination of wind and light rail may well have contributed to that. Having said that, driving back from Tesco earlier we passed a few pubs which had fairly full car parks.

I've heard a fair bit of traffic tonight as well. Maybe people would rather just have been (back) to the pub and not bothered too much with drinking, especially outside of Central London?

 

[NorthOxonian]

Take a look at the photos of the streets of Soho tonight on the Sky News website. No "social distancing" going on there by the looks of it! It's absolutely rammed!

Meanwhile, in countless towns and cities up and down the land, people are being sensible, as was the case here in Gateshead. But the media will always jump on the handful of exceptions.

 

[Howardh]

Well I wanted a couple of hours to see how it goes, and like everyone else, worried about the Saturday night rush.

First bar - almost empty, no names etc, just pay at the bar contactless. Second bar fuller but same. Third was full, decided to find somewhere else which was half-full, pay at the bar but hand over card, and on return the "third" bar found me a seat by myself after giving address, table service. Bloke on the next table chatted me up, no contact expected, everyone happy, lovely evening which finished at 1.10am.

So basically stayed out twice as long as expected, never felt in any danger of contracting CV, bit naff having to wear a mask on an empty bus but hey, taxi home sat in the back, I can cope with this.
On a Saturday night you are gonna get reports of bad behaviour if you look for it, but where I was it was exemplary.

 

[duncanp]

Went to my local on the outskirts of Birmingham yesterday.

I was second in the queue to get in, and the queue grew to about 20 people by the time it opened at 12 noon.

Hand sanitiser on entry, and you were allocated a table to sit at depending on the number of people in your party.

It was table service only, but that seemed to work quite efficiently, and you had the option of paying by card or cash, which I liked.

No reservations were possible, but the pub was never full up, and everyone who came in was able to find a place.

All in all very enjoyable, and I no doubt will go back there tonight.

 

[NeilCr]

Restaurant and pub

My partner has her six year old granddaughter living with her. The father is there but is a key worker and works long hours so my partner spends a lot of time giving childcare

Fortunately the granddaughter went to her mums yesterday so it was a rare chance for my partner to get out and let her hair down

Booked our favourite restaurant for lunch. For a long time we were the only people in there although they said they were booked solid for the evening. They had moved the tables round and had screens between the tables. That was fine - they, actually, created an air of privacy. Hand sanitiser at the entrance and we paid contactless

We decided to try a pub on spec afterwards. Busy but we got a corner table for two. Again sanitiser on arrival. You could buy drinks at the bar (but only one person from any party). No standing at the bar. Everyone was socially distanced and, apart from one loud individual, it was relaxed and restrained.

I have to say we felt perfectly safe in both venues

 

[Bantamzen]

We've got a table booked at one of our local gastropubs on Friday night, although we may be going to Ilkley tomorrow so a trip to see how the pubs that are open are doing may be in order. Watch this space!