[mrjonathanr]

My partner works in the brewing industry. What might (?) not be obvious is that most of her customers just aren't opening because it would be business suicide to get ready without further clarity from HM gov. I suspect a lot aren't going to make it tbh

Without knowing circumstances they are getting ready for, there is no point opening. And no one wants to be the first boozer open with the least appealing drinkers descending en masse.

[teestub]

I just don’t see how it’s going to work for the vast majority of places if they are only going to be allowed to operate at <50% of their usual capacity. Maybe it will work for some fine dining places and pubs with absolutely massive gardens?

[TobyD]

I just don’t see how it’s going to work for the vast majority of places if they are only going to be allowed to operate at <50% of their usual capacity. Maybe it will work for some fine dining places and pubs with absolutely massive gardens?

I'm sure wetherspoons will open anyway, put in some cursory measures and it'll be a total bunfight-clusterfuck. However, they'll make a killing.

[tomtom]

From what I’ve read in a large Japanese contact tracing study: health/carehomes were the environment were 50% of cases were transmitted - Bars and Restaraunts were next...

Thanks can see it working for large outdoor seating areas - but not elsewhere. Oh and when winter comes?? This could be done - but be part of our ‘reinventing the high street’ type plans of banning cars and letting tables spread where they were.

Or the sector shrinks - prices go up to represent the fewer customers that can be accommodated etc...

[ali k]

What’s the dead cat that’s going to come out at 4:30pm?

No need today is there, what with Macron and Vera Lynn helping the cause? Maybe some additional teaser about air bridges.

[nai]

wetherspoons will open ... they'll make a killing.

Oof

[petejh]

Thanks can see it working for large outdoor seating areas - but not elsewhere. Oh and when winter comes?? This could be done - but be part of our ‘reinventing the high street’ type plans of banning cars and letting tables spread where they were.

Buy companies manufacturing outdoor heaters and down jackets. (should probably be in the COVID & economy thread)

[ali k]

My partner works in the brewing industry...most of her customers just aren't opening because it would be business suicide to get ready without further clarity from HM gov. I suspect a lot aren't going to make it tbh
Without knowing circumstances they are getting ready for, there is no point opening.

Looks like at least one has given up waiting for govt to make a decision and just opening anyway.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53094134

And govt has the cheek to blame anyone but themselves for schools not having a coherent opening strategy. Seems schools are not the only ones lacking clear guidance.

[mrjonathanr]

Product of chaotic communication. I think it is easy to underestimate what is involved in reopening. One barrier currently is that vast amounts of out of date barrels need to be poured into the drains which can only be done with United Utilities consent as this causing quite a lot of delays. It looks like they aren't keen for thousands of gallons of alcohol fumes to hit the sewers at the same time. Lager isn't too bad but cask ales have much shorter life spans.

Premises have to be prepared, planning for social distancing implemented, beer ordered and stocked allowing for lead times, staff off furlough, staff training and so on. It can't be done in a handful of days.

[SA Chris]

Lager isn't too bad but cask ales have much shorter life spans.

They got any nearly of date kegs going cheap? I'm sure I could put a dent in one, in the garden with a couple of carefully selected families..

[Offwidth]

Quite a few places have been doing good online deals on takeaway beer. Just do a search.

Back to the UK government and C19

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/19/over-1000-deaths-day-uk-ministers-accused-downplaying-covid-19-peak

[SA Chris]

Just do a search.

Thanks, never thought of that. I'd be lost without you.

[TobyD]

Just do a search.

Thanks, never thought of that. I'd be lost without you.

 
Or simply walk or cycle past a few pubs. Many of them, especially in the peak seem to have become a sort of off licence - takeaway - ice cream shop hybrid at the moment.

[Offwidth]

Fair cop but It was clear in the last couple of weeks that several of my beer drinking friends had missed the fact you can still get draught beer from some microbreweries.  In Nottingham, Black Iris is doing well with this.

Back on international politics there is the small matter of a billion in gold..

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/20/fate-of-1bn-in-venezuelan-gold-hangs-in-balance-at-high-court

[TobyD]

 Amazing that Johnson was apparently going to wage war on obesity after his near death experience with covid 19, yet is now opening pubs before gyms. It's probably rather debateable whether opening either is a great idea, but any gym I've ever been to is far more physically distanced than a scrum at a bar on a Friday night. I fear to think what they'll be like after 3 months of being closed. They certainly won't be slimming the population down to withstand the second wave better.

[Pope B]

Seems doubly silly when you consider that alcohol severely impedes peoples rational decision making processes. I doubt social distancing will be in the forefront of their minds after they've had a bit too much to drink.

[ali k]

...any gym I've ever been to is far more physically distanced than a scrum at a bar on a Friday night.

Not to mention once there’s music and a few people in a pub/bar it’s usually necessary to shout to be heard. Patrick Vallance said yesterday that is likely to be a factor in why there’s been so many outbreaks in meat processing plants - noisy machines making it necessary to shout. Or will everyone just sit at their table in silence sipping drinks through straws underneath masks, which seemed to be the vision the scientific advisers had based on the mitigation measures they were stressing to maintain?

[Ged]

...any gym I've ever been to is far more physically distanced than a scrum at a bar on a Friday night.

Not to mention once there’s music and a few people in a pub/bar it’s usually necessary to shout to be heard. Patrick Vallance said yesterday that is likely to be a factor in why there’s been so many outbreaks in meat processing plants - noisy machines making it necessary to shout. Or will everyone just sit at their table in silence sipping drinks through straws underneath masks, which seemed to be the vision the scientific advisers had based on the mitigation measures they were stressing to maintain?

I quite like doing topless sweaty body slam type chest bumps when I send a problem down the bouldering wall, so I can see why that's go to stay shut for a while.  Pubs however, I tend to face in the same direction as everyone else, just text rather than talk, and worry about hand hygiene constantly.

[mrjonathanr]

I heard NHSX has developed a Makaton app so we can have socially silenced pubs, plus a furlough sized support fund for all the GDPR fines for data mishandling.

Fair enough that we can’t have cricket just yet because it uses a ball. At least we can watch the footy!

[TobyD]

The NHS is about as good at resourcing, especially with technology, as Boris Johnson is likely to be at climbing Hubble.

[Oldmanmatt]

The NHS is about as good at resourcing, especially with technology, as Boris Johnson is likely to be at climbing Hubble.

But, Johnson would probably claim he had climbed Hubble.

[danm]

With an un-named passerby who was going for an eye test as belayer probably.

[mrjonathanr]

The NHS is about as good at resourcing, especially with technology, as Boris Johnson is likely to be at climbing Hubble.

But, Johnson would probably claim he had climbed Hubble.

Or a world beating plan to ensure UK lead the way for record numbers of ascents, including repeat links, planned future links and links in the post.

[TobyD]

The NHS is about as good at resourcing, especially with technology, as Boris Johnson is likely to be at climbing Hubble.

But, Johnson would probably claim he had climbed Hubble.

Or a world beating plan to ensure UK lead the way for record numbers of ascents, including repeat links, planned future links and links in the post.

... Or fail to climb a diff and then eulogize in parliament about how proud he is of his performance, and that he'll do a 9c next week.

[Oldmanmatt]

The NHS is about as good at resourcing, especially with technology, as Boris Johnson is likely to be at climbing Hubble.

But, Johnson would probably claim he had climbed Hubble.

Or a world beating plan to ensure UK lead the way for record numbers of ascents, including repeat links, planned future links and links in the post.

... Or fail to climb a diff and then eulogize in parliament about how proud he is of his performance, and that he'll do a 9c next week.

...as a five point plan.
But only if the tests are met and he’ll tell you what the tests are after he’s decided if they have been met...