Where were you staying geomickb? We were booked into Glengorm estate, leaving it until the weekend to see what's happening.
Btw I can only agree with what ginkster is saying, we can only be days away from enforced essential travel. Not sure why people are thinking otherwise.
By travelling you are one of the people moving the UK from the 4th simulation (Maximum social distancing) to the 3rd simulation (lesser social distancing). That means more people will die and more will die quicker, meaning the NHS will struggle to cope. So yet more die.
Not convinced. The only people I need to come into contact with are shop staff. Just like being at home. In three months time the virus will be present in the population throughout the UK so I don't believe travel within the UK in three months time, in the absence of increased social contact, will increase the virus transmission. In fact by taking holiday time I am reducing social contact as I would otherwise be at work in contact with numerous random people every day.
Is there actually any guidance not to travel within the uk? I cant find any on the government website
The only guidance I can find there is (a) not to travel aboard and (b) avoid non-essential use of public transport (c) Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology (d) follow these measures as much as is pragmatic
I'm going we'll get more clarity in next month or so
I live in the Highlands - please don't come. Flipside, there is an outbreak in Dervaig, we may get you.
I also live in the Highlands. Other opiniins are available.
Me three. And it’s already here.
I'm really conflicted by this. Clearly some towns rely on tourism, they need supporting, we should go there and spend money whilst having a great time. Conversely, if germ-spreading holiday makers turn up it could cause problems for healthcare provision locally.
Do you think letting companies will be offering deep clean services to cottage owners?
Do you think letting companies will be offering deep clean services to cottage owners?
Some already are
Not convinced. The only people I need to come into contact with are shop staff. Just like being at home. In three months time the virus will be present in the population throughout the UK so I don’t believe travel within the UK in three months time, in the absence of increased social contact, will increase the virus transmission. In fact by taking holiday time I am reducing social contact as I would otherwise be at work in contact with numerous random people every day.
Who knows what the situation will be like in 3 months time? It is pretty much a day at a time at the moment! If the government’s plan to flatten the curve works we will possibly be at the peak so yes, maybe your trip won’t add much to the risk. But we are not there yet and trips in the next few weeks (Easter hols included) certainly do add to the transmission rate and undermine the attempt to flatten the peak and reduce the risk of swamping the NHS.
If people can go on holiday and have minimal/no contact why can’t they at home? Instead, take your time off work, have a staycation and minimise your exposure. A win, win that does your bit to help the big plan. I really hope things will have eased in 3+ months time as I have a holiday booked in Scotland. Looking at how other countries are coping I am not hopeful! My Easter trip away is not happening now, instead I will be doing all those jobs at home that I never have time for and spending some proper time with the family. Unless I get called up at work!
Due to go up to Alnwick in Northumberland with the family on 6th April for a week. Current view is that we're still going, but won't be eating out or going to pubs much. Probably some cheap breaks at centre parcs in school time now 😀
A group of us were intending to go to Rum in May. We are prepared to find alternatives / cancel completely ( its a small group of friends and we always go for a long weekend wild camping)
Its not the sort of trip that brings money into the local economy no do we meet anyone else. My feeling right now is that going on to a small island would be wrong but going into the hills on the mainland would be OK but this could change.
It's interesting as exercise is clearly very important to your mental health and at this time, looking after your mental health is critical.
The thought of having an accidental stumble and having to call mountain rescue is a) embarrassing and b) makes you feel very selfish for diverting resources
🤦
Due to go up to Alnwick in Northumberland with the family on 6th April for a week. Current view is that we’re still going, but won’t be eating out or going to pubs much. Probably some cheap breaks at centre parcs in school time now 😀
Centre Parcs are closed from tomorrow for a month. They are playing their part. If you travel you are then part of the problem and risk helping C19 spread quicker and increase the load on the NHS and kill more people. You are part of the reason that the government will have to take action to prevent non-essential travel (your trip is not essential) to help lower and slow the peak. Why don’t you play your part and holiday at home and minimise your exposure? It’s not that hard! I was looking forward to a week in Northumberland too on 18 Apr but am going to stay at home and depending on the advice (and my health) at the time help anyone isolating or vulnerable on the street.
Look to France, Spain or Italy to see what is coming this way very soon.
We were due to visit Longleat Center Parcs next week, but then they announced the villages were shutting down and to top if off, better half developed a continuous cough and told to self-isolate from NHS job and so I'm now self-isolating for 14 days (feeling worse than the three week manflu19 I've had since 27th Feb).
I informed work this morning and manager simply doesn't know how/if I can cancel next week's annual leave because I can't pop along to GP surgery and the NHS111 website automatic email sick note system is not ready yet.
Just like yesterday, I'm still not coughing and once again half-tempted to go outdoors for a very gentle spin instead of Zwifting, before I really don't feel up to outdoor riding or perhaps any riding at all.
the reason that the government will have to take action to prevent non-essential travel (your trip is not essential)
thing is, they're not taking that action yet, nor even advising it on their website. When they do, I suspect those on here who are currently planning to take trips will cancel/postpone them. The virus needs to spread at a certain rate, and in fact having it spread evenly across the country helps that (otherwise you have an imbalance of NHS needs in different places)
thing is, they’re not taking that action yet, nor even advising it on their website. When they do, I suspect those on here who are currently planning to take trips will cancel/postpone them. The virus needs to spread at a certain rate, and in fact having it spread evenly across the country helps that (otherwise you have an imbalance of NHS needs in different places)
Yes, we are in the delay phase and widespread infection is inevitable but the government is trying desperately to slow that spread down so it peaks in the warmer months and limits the peak on the NHS. At the moment it is spreading quicker than hoped for hence earlier than hoped for actions such as school closures. I’m not sure the virus ‘needs to spread at a certain rate’, I think the government would do whatever it could to stop that spread dead if there was a way!
Personally, I think the PM was pretty explicit about unnecessary travel when he said the following during his update on 16 Mar:
‘And even if you don’t have symptoms and if no one in your household has symptoms, there is more that we need you to do now.
So, second, now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.’
I’m sure people will interpret the guidance their own way and have an argument why they have to or can travel, but most probably know in their heart it is against the spirit of what the government is asking you to do. Probably the same people who have all the bog rolls and pasta.
I took that to mean travel abroad, which is backed up by the action the following day (FCO advice) and the detail on the government website. There is nothing at all about traveling within our borders at this point in time, I'm sure there will be at some point, but for now there is nothing.
I think the government would do whatever it could to stop that spread dead if there was a way!
That's not the case, the best case is for the virus to spread through the population, but at a rate whereby the very sick won't overwhelm NHS facilities. Have a look at the report below (page 12) which is driving government policy at the moment.
After further discussion (and mention on social media), the letting agent has allowed us to swap dates to further in the year.
I think this is fair, we holiday on Mull every year and this would have been the third time in this cottage. I really don't want my family to get ill on an island with such limited healthcare resources.
I just hope everyone in the tourist industry does OK.
Mick
I really don’t want my family to get ill on an island with such limited healthcare resources.
If you don't have any family members in the high risk categories then being ill there is no different to being ill at home. I know you don't mean that in a callous way but it sounds callous.
The real issue is when non-islanders bring their germs with them and overwhelm what is an already flimsy healthcare system on the islands. It's built to cope with Morag, Derek and Maureen having a funny turn, not for mass treatment of everyone at the same time. It's good news that you can postpone.
This is interesting: https://www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk/coronavirus
I will keep our mid June cottage booking under review as events play out. Currently the letting agent website states there are no amendments allowed for our dates. All cottages open and available. No refunds offered.
I didn't realise alternates to airbnb still existed. If this is the way they treat their customers, I would be surprised if they still do after it's all done
Posted today locally!
Hello all! Not something I want to post but as a doctor in Treliske I feel like I have to. Please please please take covid seriously and stop all non essential contact with anyone. It is going to be seriously bad in Cornwall and lots of people's lives will be at risk.
And second homers and holiday makers - PLEASE DON'T COME TO CORNWALL. We're going to struggle with beds as it is without lots of extra people. And you're likely to bring infection with you. They'll be plenty of other years to come on holiday. Please please please think of everyone else and stay up country until the worst is over!!
Once we are ordered to shut continuity insurance has to pay up and all except the insurance companies are happy.
No business continuity insurance covers Coronavirus because it wasn’t invented when the insurance was taken out. The insurance companies are happy right now.
We have a house booked in Cornwall over Easter, supposed to be a holiday for us, the boys, and the mother in law after her husband died last year. Rang the holiday company (Latitude50) to ask what the options were only to be told they had spoken with their solicitors and all bookings are non refundable and to claim on travel insurance. We have never taken travel insurance for UK breaks. We asked about moving dates or even carrying booking over to next year, no joy.
The cattery on the other hand were super helpful and understanding, flexible to rebook dates and keen to keep all their customers happy.
Guess who gets our business when this is all over?
Will your Mother in Law enjoy staying in a cattery though?
An annual travel insurance policy provider who would have covered you?
Was in Cornwall earlier, lots of stacked full cars heading down the A30. Good few campervans and caravans too. More than you’d usually expect.
An annual travel insurance policy provider who would have covered you?
Only if you are unable to travel. If the trip was this week I dont think you would have an excuse (in future you may)
Eldest_oab and Aberdonian pal have gone holidaying/feral anyway.
Currently camping at Glentress, they have enough food to hide in the woods of Tweed Valley for a fortnight.
Their idea is that they only see themselves and will leave any other rider in thier wake...💪
The YHA have updated their T&Cs to be more flexible for people cancelling and rebooking. Looks like I will get a refund for our cancelled Easter week which is a surprise tbh. I'll be donating a decent chunk back though, really need the YHA to get through this.
The hostels are still open at the moment though.
Anyone got a view on CalMac? I’m guessing our trip to Uist in June won’t happen also
Posted 1 day ago
On radio Scotland this morning - no CalMac bookings accepted before July. Website confirms this. Website advice is that services will run as normal on a turn up and go basis. So discouraging planned holidays but not affecting locals too much. Other than tea/coffe and sweets etc no hot food supplied until further notice to allow catering staff to be redeployed.
Steve Double MP for St Austell and Newquay and Cornwall Council Leader Julian German have taken the unusual step of issuing an joint open public letter today. It urges people to stay away from Cornwall at this time.
The letter says
“Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sees us in unprecedented times for both Cornwall and the UK. This is likely to be the greatest challenge any of us will have faced in our lifetimes, and it is crucial we take it seriously.
It is important everyone follows the advice laid out by the Government to slow and stop the spread of this virus and do everything we can to support our essential public services, especially our NHS. That includes avoiding non-essential travel.
By anyone’s assessment a holiday at this time is not essential.
So therefore, regrettably we are asking people not to come on holiday to Cornwall at this time.
We need to stop spread of this virus and also need to protect our NHS and keep our supermarket shelves stocked. An influx of thousands of tourists in the coming weeks will put unnecessary pressure on our services.
As a supporter of the tourism and hospitality industry we fully understand the huge and grave challenges facing the sector at this time and why some businesses may want to take this opportunity to bring visitors to Cornwall.
On an Isle of Mull local FB group they are quite adamant they don't want people making any non-essential travel at this time as they don't have the means to cope. One poster was saying she wanted to come up from London "for a holiday" and was firmly rebuked.
We have had a few weekends away already in the camper and the Enduro season would have started this weekend at Glentress. Race cancellations are coming in thick and fast and having to cancel or move on the campsites we have booked on. The first holiday to Lake Garda and the Alps in all probability will not happen and the second to Sospel, San Remo and Finale in September may happen.
Think that the site deposits for them will be lost and hopefully the tunnel may change their terms and move to next year but I doubt it as its 12 months max from booking.
Travel allowing we could just disappear in the UK and hit some remote riding spots but somehow I feel the camper will be getting little use in the short to medium term.
Having had next week's Center Parcs cancelled, we've decided to re-book for next year with the £100 (making it a nice £279 between five of us) and see how the pandemic pans out over the next ~6 months for better and I, as regards trying to get a week away during the annual leave I have booked off.
Just at my Static now.
Locking it up tomorrow. (East coast)
We'll be in lockdown by Monday or Tuesday, so decision will be made for us all.
In laws were due to go to Arran this weekend, thankfully their hotel has closed and they can't. Can't believe they were considering it, as they have very vulnerable parents....
Had a fair few weekends away booked, all of which are cancelled, Holland in July won't be happening, I reckon October break would be a result at this rate.
Wife's already had a friend's hen do to Ibiza next month cancelled.
We are supposed to be going to Center Parcs mid-May, but guess that's looking very unlikely.
Annoyingly this is the last term time visit we can make as my daughter starts school in September, so I reckon we'll have to get a refund. £200 per couple for a week away is a good deal. I'm not sure £500 per couple is!
And we've got a week in Lanzarote booked mid October. No idea about that, but hopefully ok.
Highlands say please don’t come.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-5199053 4">BBC - People urged not to visit Highlands to flee virus
from another forum...
I have been contacted by the Nevis Range Centre in Fort William who tell me that they have had to turn away around 30 camper vans, which had travelled from various parts of the UK, who were intending to use their car park as a refuge.
I cannot stress enough that this pattern of behaviour is irresponsible, counterproductive and must stop with immediate effect. Local services here face unprecedented pressure levels as we all battle this global pandemic. I urge everyone to do the right thing; follow the Government advice and please do not travel here. If these warnings are not heeded and people need to be stopped from travelling, then I am afraid that is what will have to happen. Those in camper vans please go home!
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A bit late to join in here, but I live and work on Mull (self catering business and also self employed so, not feeling the love from the government yet!!).
The advice from the government changes so rapidly that trying to guess if you'll be able to go on a holiday any time soon will change on a daily basis.
There's not a lot still open here on the island and there are a lot of scared people, so some very disturbing and conflicting messages being put out there and the rumblings of hostility towards people not complying with random interpretations of woolly guidance. With Easter holidays not being far away and the tourist season having already started a clear answer needs to be officially put out there and I'm sure it will be soon.
If you are thinking of travelling first consider what you will come into contact with on the journey and how clean they are e.g. toilet stops, fuel stops, anywhere you have to pay for things, (in the case of island) ferries, social distancing etc etc.
If you're considering cancelling check with your travel insurance and also your holiday provider, but also consider holding your nerve and waiting for the actual government advice 🙂
If you’re considering cancelling check with your travel insurance and also your holiday provider, but also consider holding your nerve and waiting for the actual government advice
That's what we're doing. My mother has kindly paid (or due to pay I'm not sure) just shy of £4k for accommodation in the Lake District for the whole family in April. She took out the companies own insurance policy (Sykes Cottages) although they're not budging on refunds for now. I have a lot of sympathy for all these companies though, big or small, it's affecting a lot of friends round here.
Not sure if this has been said but I would seriously reconsider if your thinking of a holiday somewhere a little more remote.
I live on the North devon/Cornwall border and the shops are already empty and the underfunded health service already under strain. I don't think hundreds of thousands of people turning up and spreading covid 19 in all the more remote areas of Britain would be a great idea really. I wouldn't be surprised if they put a travel ban in place but who knows?
hostility towards people not complying with random interpretations of woolly guidance
Such as stay at home as much as possible means at home- not some random location you picked on a map and have to travel too and from (it's in paragraph 1 of the Scot gov website on the matter.
Its not wooly . Its very clear.
Stay at home.
Consider this.
You travel to the island a.n.other remote location. Everything goes into lockdown -you ravel home. You get I'll and now have zero social circle or family support. -and your occupying someone else's house. Who's bringing you supplies while you self isolate ?
Darwinism at best.
I don't understand why people are trying to circumvent the guidance.
Sooner we lock down the better stop this *doesn't apply to me*shite and get this under control.
This is bigger than the tourism industry I'm afraid -and more so it is key to the future of a / any tourism trade.
For the record, we've obviously now cancelled our trip to Cornwall (due next week).
I also quite strongly suspect that the government's 'guidelines' will rapidly become more formal and more stringent, given the lack of impact the first week of voluntary distancing had on the curve.
Our Mull trip is officially off now. We weren't considering going anyway in light of what's happening. CalMac have reimbursed ferry fares. Cottage owners have offered to provide a different week too.
Camping and Caravan Club have announced today that they are shutting all their club sites.
Warners Leisure and a few other big chains of sites have done the same. Expect the CMC will make the same call soon.
Caravan and Motorhome Club website says all sites closed till 30th June.
Scottish Govt have now told ferry companies not to take visitors to the Islands, with immediate effect (Tiree ferry was full of campervans/motorhomes this morning apparently).
What do we reckon about hiking? (or just tramping through the woods?)
i.e. driving 45 mins out of town, park up, a 4 hour walk punctuated by sandiwches on a stone wall somewhere, see half a dozen others all day then drive home again? I'm slightly worried in that I live in a city and I don't want to potentially be bringing germs to a quieter area, but i'm not visiting shops or pubs, and even using hand sanitiser after going through a gate (er, when i remember to).
I want to be public spirited, but i wouldn't want to give this up, especially if i'm WFH mon-fri!
What do we reckon about hiking? (or just tramping through the woods?)
i.e. driving 45 mins out of town, park up, a 4 hour walk punctuated by sandiwches on a stone wall somewhere, see half a dozen others all day then drive home again?
‘And even if you don’t have symptoms and if no one in your household has symptoms, there is more that we need you to do now.
So, second, now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel.’ Boris Johnson, 16 Mar 20.
And things have tightened up even more since the 16th.
What is necessary about your 45 minute drive to another area? Stop bloody travelling when it is not essential. How difficult is it to understand? Stop being part of the problem.
What Ginkster said, how hard is it for folks to realise that we're being asked to do something for the greater good, there's going to be a lot of blame I suspect from the same folks when their relations go down with it, as it's always someone else's fault. At this rate we will get lock down, it's clear there's a significant minority of the UK population that just doesn't give a toss about anyone other than themselves.
We were due to go to the Lakes over Easter, Devon at Spring Bank week, needless to say they we going to be cancelled this week regardless of caravan site closures. there's another time to go walking, kayaking, surfing etc.
It's going to be awful for the businesses in these areas that don't get custom, but imagine if you're the one that needs to be airlifted out of some remote place as their acute beds are already over capacity, then what.
Stay at home.
Yep, from POV of North Wales we're seeing a massive influx of people with crazy scenes around Snowdon, Ogwen and nearby. Our health service here is not great anyhow and this just risks more stress on the system. On a more local level, one of my neighbour is just getting over cancer and other is in his 70s with life to go. I'd prefer neither of them died prematurely due to selfish behaviour.
Please stay at home – and yes, that includes folk in vans promising to be off grid.
Yep. We have a place by the beach in N Wales but have zero intention of going there for a few months at least.
Where do people stand if the accommodation provider closes and cancels your booking? Asking for my mother who has had an email today asking her to move her booking to new dates, but that’s not possible due to no guarantee of anyone getting leave at the right time next year.
I've got a dorm room in a hostel in London booked for May with Smart Hostels via Hostelworld.
Neither of them are saying a peep on email, website or social media about it. They're both still advertising heavily and taking bookings. The music festival we're going to (Desertfest) are still selling tickets! The majority of the bands are international. Even bands who are playing haven't heard anything from the organisers.
Head in the sand and it'll all go away!
Also have a house in Aviemore booked via AirBnB for a lads MTB trip mid April. AirBnB are doing free cancellations up to April 14th, but we're heading in on the 17th so if I cancel now I lose the £££s. And like the hostel I paid for everyone else who is going up front. Obviously we're not going - I am holding out til all of these companies start getting more realistic and give free cancellations. I'm sure AirBnB will extend their period but the hostels are ridiculous.
A business has to have cash available to offer refunds. Not a danger a fly by night hostel or music event has the cash to refund all their customers.
Air BnB I have no idea. It might even be a stretch for them.
There may be an announcement later tonight that will make cancellations moot.
I've just cancelled our booking (for first week of april, in devon). Despite being booked last week, and airbnb being clear that they were only applying their special flexy rules to earlier bookings, they still refunded me their service fee in full (this part was not refundable) in form of a voucher (the accommodation itself was fully refundable).
Given the size of their backing, I very much doubt they're going to go anywhere. Venture capitalists seem to be the one place where cash is going at the moment, so they may even benefit..
Sykes Cottages still saying no refunds despite closing all accommodation after tonight's news.
Will they let you rebook next year?
Yes, but we (wife and I) have no idea when we will have annual leave next year so no guarantee we’d be able to go 😀
Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things - I’m acutely aware there are bigger problems for people right now - just feeling sorry for my mother who’s shelled out what is a lot of money for a pensioner to have her whole family on holiday together.
That's awful for your Mum but Sykes should be more flexible. We've used them a couple of times and they were okay.
So do we reckon booking a UK holiday for October is safe? These seem to be getting booked up but part of me thinks there might still be restrictions...
There may still be restrictions, we just don't know.
Some letting agencies are pulling a fast one, refusing refunds and only offering to reschedule. That may result in a shortage should things clear up.
Some of those same letting agencies are likely to go out of business, so any credit note or rescheduled booking might be worthless.
I'm looking at a Wildbike trip, had one booked for May which they've already cancelled and offered alternatives so be OK.
Some letting agencies are pulling a fast one, refusing refunds and only offering to reschedule. That may result in a shortage should things clear up.
Email last night from letting agent for the cottage we've booked in Yorkshire for two weeks in July telling is that our booking has been "transferred" and they'll hold our deposit for use towards an alternative booking in the future. No refund offered.
Email at lunchtime today, telling us that last night's email was a mistake and our booking is still on for July.
Due to pay the balance in 4 weeks. Genuinely don't know what to do about it at this point.
We had a booking in the next 3 weeks, fully paid for, the agents have told us we can reschedule - if the new dates are more expensive, we pay the difference, if it's cheaper, tough. No cash refund, nothing yet on how long we can defer for or when to decide. That's all better than I feared.
Some letting agencies are pulling a fast one, refusing refunds and only offering to reschedule
Seems fair to me, not a fast one. The lockdown isn't anyone's fault, reschedule is a good compromise between them losing money and the customer losing money.
Some of those same letting agencies are likely to go out of business
Particularly if they have to refund everybody.
I have a place that I let through AirBnB. AirBnB have been good in providing full refunds to all those that want to cancel. I've cancelled all my April bookings and will follow suit with subsequent months unless gov policy changes. People need to stay at home.
Re Sykes, it was stated in Parliament yesterday afternoon during the coronavirus bill reading that they're refunding. Hansard is your friend if you need to reference it.
Thanks spud, I’ll look it up.
EDIT - It’s possibly the bit where Wes Streeting said Sykes we’re doing the right thing by cancelling bookings. They’ve not budged yet on the no refunds policy.
Don't know if it's been done but the YHA have cancelled all bookings to the end of July. Seems a little knee jerk to me that they've gone so far in advance.
I've cancelled two bookings, one in April and one in June but I've got another for the Ard Rock weekend, 31st July & 1st Aug that I'd rather keep till nearer the time!
Had anybody tried to get a refund from Airbnb yet? Following their email last Thursday or Friday I requested a refund from my host, and messaged to explain why a reschedule was not possible at this time, for our booking in may. We've paid 50% and I was requesting a full refund but the host declined. Fair enough. Airbnb will refund the service charge though so we're only lose about £375 I think. However it looks like I can still attempt to claim a full refund from Airbnb in certain circumstances and not being able to travel due to epidemic seems to be one. With the UK government advice being a little grey currently I suspect Airbnb may wriggle and refuse. Anyone tried? I need to check but I think I've another 4 or 5 weeks before I'd need to pay the other 50% and would lose the lot so I'm happy to leave the booking for now and wait for the government to tighten the lockdown further and then claim. What are others doing?
