Covid And London

[hannah40]

My friend and I both from different households are booked into the Ritz for afternoon tea. On October 25th We live in Hampshire tier 1 but travelling to London tier 2.
Are we still allowed to eat tea together in London as we are in Hants or not?
The ritz are not cancelling so we’re confused.

[Buenchico]

Quote:
" No person may participate in a gathering in the Tier 2 area which—
(a)consists of two or more people, and
(b)takes place indoors"
[Section 1(1), Schedule 1, The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (High) (England) Regulations 2020]

There is a relevant exception, as follows
"Exception 1 is that all the people in the gathering—
(a)are members of the same household, or
(b)are members of two households which are linked households in relation to each other"
[Section 4(2), ibid].

So, unless you and your friend are from 'linked households', you can't meet up at The Ritz.

To form 'linked households', at least one of the households must have only one adult in it and neither household can be linked to any other household. Once a 'link' has been formed, neither household can then 'break' that link and form a new link with any other household.

The Ritz won't cancel bookings for two people, as they've no way of knowing whether the customers will be coming from the same households (or from 'linked' ones).

[Vagus]

Regardless of what the ‘rules’ and advice are, I personally wouldn’t do it.

[jno]

you could ask them if they're still doing outdoor dining, though it may be a bit late in the year.

[Buenchico]

^^^ Like Vagus, I'd be very hesitant about going (even if the two households are 'linked').

It wouldn't be meeting up at The Ritz which would bother me though; it would be travelling on the Underground, or by bus, to get there. (However, as you live in Hampshire, a train into London would probably take you to Waterloo. If you're reasonably fit, you could walk to The Ritz from there in about half an hour).

[smurfchops]

I am still confused. So can my OH and I who are in Tier 2, travel outside our area and and have lunch in a restaurant with my sister and her husband in Horsham??

[New Judge]

//I am still confused. So can my OH and I who are in Tier 2, travel outside our area and and have lunch in a restaurant with my sister and her husband in Horsham??//

No. You cannot meet up with members of another household in a Tier 2 area nor can you travel to a Tier 1 area to do the same. Essentially, living in a Tier 2 area means you cannot mix with other households anywhere indoors.

[Buenchico]

For Smurfchops:
The Tier 2 restrictions don't make any reference to travel, therefore you can legally travel to and from Horsham.

Once in Horsham, the Tier 1 restrictions apply, meaning that it's the 'Rule of 6' which applies there.

So, yes, you and your OH can legally meet up with your sister and her husband in a Horsham restaurant.

[Buenchico]

Hang on, I've just read NJ's post, which leaves me in some doubt now! I'll have another read through the legislation and come back!

[smurfchops]

Yes Judge kindly answered my post But I am still confused.

[Buenchico]

Aha! I apologise! NJ is right!

The relevant bit of the legislation isn't under 'Travel' (because no such section exists). Instead it's under the section dealing with 'Gatherings':
"No person living in the Tier 2 area may participate in a gathering outside that area which—
(a)consists of two or more people, and
(b)takes place indoors"

(The exception relating to 'linked households', which I've referred to above, also applies here but that's almost certainly not relevant here, as both households involved in your proposed plan presumably have at least two adults living in them. You'd only be able to to create 'linked' households if you and your OH, or your sister and her OH, were living apart but that would still leave at least one person unable to join the gathering anyway).

Sorry for misleading you above!

[smurfchops]

Sorry me again. So can the two of us from Tier 2 meet the two of them, from Tier 1, in Horsham, and sit outside to eat??

[Buenchico]

Yes, Smurfchops, you can meet up outside:
"No person living in the Tier 2 area may participate in a gathering outside that area which—
(a)consists of more than six people, and
(b)takes place outdoors"

Wear your thermal undies though!
(Weather forecast for Horsham: https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2646557 )

[douglas9401]

What a farce. Go and have your tea.

[smurfchops]

Will do ... how anyone can understand all this is beyond me. More confusing than first time around in March!!

[New Judge]

Might be better if you travel to Horsham, smurf. You can then decide whether or not you want to abide by this ludicrous nonsense. In Horsham parties of up to six can meet indoors so you can go out for tea and cakes there and the chances of you getting caught are about as close to zero as you could imagine.

I live on the edge of a "Tier 2" area. My local area has an infection rate of about one third of the larger area of which it is a part (which itself has a rate below the England average). It also has a lower infection rate than the adjacent T1 area. We have friends who live up the road in the T1 area and we had booked a restaurant in their area for four of us tomorrow night. I'll let you guess whether or not we have cancelled. I've tried my best to go along with this nonsense as I don't generally pick and choose which laws I am going to abide by. But the end of my tether is fast approaching. This latest arrangement is disreputable; it is without form or reason. Mrs NJ and I can't go for a meal with anybody else in the area we live in, Meanwhile, a mile up the road there are no such restrictions despite that area having (and always has had) a higher infection rate than where I live.

Meanwhile we have the Mayor of Manchester "refusing" to comply with national legislation (as if he has a choice) and Lancashire kindly "agreeing" to do so (in return for a shedload of taxpayers' dosh). It is utter nonsense and amid it all I don't think anyone will notice Mrs NJ and I going for an illicit meal tomorrow night.