Corona Virus – My Take 28. The Pub Is Shut Again, & Here’s Why?

Well I need to start by saying a ‘Happy New Year’ to everyone, and I think it’s fair to say that everyone is hoping that 2021 is a better year than 2020, but then I don’t think it could be much worse – could it?

It finished with COVID hitting the headlines as it has done pretty much for the last twelve months, and where we live, we went into tier three, meaning our pubs had to close. We expected it, but when it happened, it was just a little disappointing because I enjoy the pub life. I don’t go every day, and when I go, I don’t stay there for hours on end (in normal times that is). We don’t (didn’t) have specific routines we just went when it suited us, but yes we enjoy it.

With restrictions in place meaning we couldn’t go to Scotland to see my family, I suppose the pub being an enjoyable aspect of our life meant it was a little more frustrating to have it taken away from us, but other reasons annoy me.

As much as we expected it, some didn’t expect it so soon, well I did as Boris Johnson, and his team are obviously of the opinion that alcohol that is a major factor in the spread of the virus as the pubs seem to be the first part of our lives that is taken away. People drinking alcohol relax, and their guard is down. Yet in the pubs I visit I feel safe and comfortable. They have systems in place that gives us that comfort, and if I didn’t feel this way, I wouldn’t go in.

There was one occasion whereby the landlord gave us a table to sit at, and I wasn’t comfortable, as the next table was too close, and I asked if we could sit elsewhere, and we could and did. Had we not been able to move I wouldn’t have stayed, it really is that simple and that’s how I am with the virus. I try to do what is asked of us, but it needs to be right for me too!

I suppose pubs have also been their own worst enemy. We know people in the pubs we visit, and only on Wednesday, whilst making the most of our last night, I believe one table had four different households sitting around it, just as in old times, and without a care in the world from anyone, even the landlord.

The same landlord knows that there are just the two of us in our household, yet when phoning to book the table, I was asked just that ‘is it just the two of you?’ Well, I thought that was the rules, so why was I asked the question in the first place, and to me shows that some places just don’t care anyway? The most important thing was that I was at least five metres from these people whilst I was there, and I felt comfortable where I was.

But I find it frustrating because an enjoyable and comfortable part of our lives during the virus has been taken away from us. Yet, only yesterday the first day after out tier had been changed, we walked up to our high street, and in the space of ten minutes, I witnessed this.

1. Four men renovating a shop, all sitting within a metre of each other, and looking like it was the afternoon tea break. There was no distancing, no masks, and no shields, no nothing. Now my understanding of the present COVID working requirements is that this is not allowed. It would be too much to ask that they were all from one household, making it okay, they weren’t – even though I can’t prove it. But from what I can see and read it wasn’t right. But something a friend has also come across as he works on building sites, and something I am going to write about with his help.
2. A lady was seen having her hair done across the road in a hairdressers, with her and her hairdresser wearing the correct protective items. Yet, another lady was standing just a couple of feet away wearing nothing. She was just standing there chatting to the hairdresser and the customer without a care in the world. We may be back at that situation whereby she may not be able to wear a face-covering due to a medical condition, but if it is the case?  Why is she standing so close to other people, why not stand the required two metres away as a minimum, why not show a little more care?
3. I think we all know that face coverings don’t stop us catching the virus, but in my opinion, they do help prevent the spread for

   

   sure, and I wear one when I am asked, and at times when I’m not. But is it right that even though we are both wearing face coverings? The shop assistant in my local convenience store comes and stands right beside me, practically touching me, when I am paying for my items, so that he can re-arrange the chocolate display at the pay booths because I don’t think he should have? Luckily I was very quickly on my way.

And I have given these three examples, as to me they are instances of people just not bothering and why we have had to close the hospitality sector again. It’s a strange virus, people have it and have no symptoms and don’t even know they’ve got it. So if they believe they don’t have it and don’t bother with masks or distancing, such as the people mentioned above, what happens when they meet someone, pass on the germs, and that person does suffer, rather obvious really?

It is certainly a big change to the way we live our lives, and some people won’t let it affect them, but they do that by not following any of the guidelines so many do try to live by. They won’t wear masks, they won’t sanitise, they won’t follow one way systems,(but few do these days) and to me, these people are the ones that are spoiling things for the rest of us.

I still think one of the biggest mistakes our Government made was letting Dominic Cummings off with his silly excuse whilst in Durham, let alone going there in the first place Durham. Who tests their eyesight by driving a car with your child on board?  What a load of nonsense, and if I listen to his press release now it just makes me cringe with embarrassment. But I firmly believe that by letting Cummings off with his misdemeanour a lot of the population thought ‘well if he can do it so can I.’

The same could be said in Scotland with the SNP member Margaret Ferrier, who travelled by train after testing positive. If you want to lead the people, you have to be prepared to lead by example, and these were two very good examples of that not being the case. The worst part is, of course, it seems these people can’t be sacked, they have to resign, and as they are on such an easy number on such good wages, who’s going to resign?

I still can’t help thinking it looked worse when the SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was pictured at a wake with no mask on, but let’s be honest we’ve probably all done it for a few minutes – I have, so that is no reason to resign, even if I don’t have much time for her.

These though, combined with many people now waiting for the vaccine to be administered is another reason I believe our attitude has changed. We just seem to be assuming this will be the answer to all our problems, and I have to say I hope it is. But meantime are we thinking we hope we don’t catch it until it is available and may be hoping for the best, but then if it’s not the answer when will the pubs open again?

As I have said so regularly, the problem is often the few spoiling it for everyone else, and I believe that is still the case. People still walk out onto the road to let us pass with plenty of room, and more acts of consideration are witnessed on a daily basis. And consideration seems to be a word missing from many areas of today’s society.

But that is just me and my opinions – thank you for reading and stay safe.