Thousands on the beach yesterday - Wednesday

Agree AGAA4

Actually not because the risk has gone, although at the moment it has receded, but because people are causing an increased of spikes by their behaviour.

I think Boris was wrong to allow people to drive as far as they want.

The result is clear at Bournemouth and other beaches. People have come from miles away possibly bringing the virus with them.

Although it has been hard in Wales not being able to drive more than 5 miles I can see the sense in that decision.

It’s obvious that if it’s safe to congregate on beaches, safe to demonstrate and riot, safe to hold street parties, and safe to celebrate in throngs after football matches, then it’s clearly safe to get back to work. The economy will be in terrible trouble at the end of all this. Yes, the furlough scheme was the right thing to do at the right time. And now is the right time to end it.

Oh dear. Well, they may have been speaking from personal experience of course. Most who I know of have been pulling their weight but it must be irksome to know of colleagues who may not be.
Of course, they are not furloughed anyway.

growstuff I think you're playing Devil's Advocate.
On a normal sunny day in June when people are at work and children in school, there are not usually half a million people heading to Bournemouth and causing a major incident.

If we wait to close the beaches until we have a spike, it will be too late - does that ring any bells, being late?

My hairdresser would love to come off furlough and go back to work - it’s not her fault she can’t . And her pay is 80% of her basic which in normal times is topped up by commission and tips. That’s true for others as well I’m sure. My dd and sil have worked throughout - they consider themselves lucky to not have to worry about being unemployed.
Another point about the job retention scheme was that paying people stimulated demand which is good for the economy- just wait until the unemployment figures shoot up and demand falls. And btw furloughed workers are paying tax and NI on their furlough pay.

I see a teacher has been suspended for saying ( on the radio) that 'some' teachers have just been sitting at home doing nothing and not pulling their weight.

I can understand how tempting it must have been over the last few days to take children to the beach but don't people think that many people will want to do that, and then far too many converge in one place.

Surely when they see the amount of tailbacks it would alert you to the fact that the beach is crowded and sensible to turn back.

This got out of hand and may cause beaches to be closed if there is a rise in Covid.

Even if they were furloughed, it doesn't mean that because they chose to behave like pillocks, that everybody who is furloughed is a pillock.

There are people currently shielded or who weren't shielded but are at high risk of being badly affected who are having pressure put on them to return to work.

Callistemon How do you actually know that all those people were furloughed? Unless you did a survey, they could have been students, shift workers on a break, retired, others who are normally economically inactive, self-employed.

I haven't a clue who they were and I doubt anybody else does either.

They are "following their instincts" and "testing their eyesight" on the beach.

I think that if people can travel miles to resorts, not self-distance, as they were not doing walking along even if they did so on the beach, what are the reasons for not going back to work?

Either the Government stops all this jolly holidaying or they just let firms open up before they go out of business.

Yes, I am very having gone no bloody where since about the 16th March.

Maybe, but I get a little p**ed off at reading people complaining about people sitting at home spending other people's taxes. It always seems to me that people are looking over the shoulders, seeing people getting something they're not and saying "Not fair".

PS. I don't think the beaches should even have been opened. My issue is with those who think these are all furloughed people who could go back to work.

That's a non sequitur, getting annoyed about the half million people travelling hundreds of miles to converge on one resort has nothing to do with feeling for those who cannot do that because they have nothing.

There are also hundreds of thousands of people, including self-employed, who have received absolutely nothing in government hand outs. Rather than getting angry at people who seem to be getting something for nothing, how about thinking about the people who are getting nothing?

We have to remember the "beige cardis" kept well away from Bournemouth beach yesterday, as did many a resident. The town takes on a different image when people from Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Hertford turn up for the day. (Nothing against those places, they were the ones the visitors themselves mentioned).

gilly I'm sure the furlough scheme is a business saver for so many small business owners like you.
But is not meant to be one long public holiday funded by the taxpayer. Some people are doing voluntary work, helping others not drinking and littering the beauty spots they frequent.

When I see a pub tenant crying because the multi- billionaire landlords won't give them a rent holiday it makes me hopping mad.
There are so many other instances where very rich business owners could take a personal hit but prefer to furlough their staff.
And workers can continue to work under extremely safe conditions but were annoyed because they weren't furloughed.

And no, I won't apologise for using that Australian term
Callistemon What term is that? Can't find it anywhere and you know I'm not easily offended!

I'm very upset at all those goings on in B'mouth. Our Michelle and family live there and some GNetters may remember a couple of years ago she asked me to raise the topic of the prevalence of "beige cardis" amongst their elderly!
Remember Sir Ken Dodd called his afternoon matinee shows "Fifty Shades of Beige"!
So what has become of the staid image of B'mouth behaviour? I must get an update from M this weekend!
Good Health
OoRoo

"The beach" doesn't belong to anyone . I spend a lot of time on "my" beach but I never resent the influx of visitors we have in the (normal) summer making the most of our beautiful beaches, parks etc.

The thing that would really annoy me is the rubbish that is left behind .

As for furlough I think it has been a business saver for so many SME's . I currently have 2 people on furlough but hoping to bring them back part time within the next 2 weeks . If it had not been for the scheme my lads would have all been out of work .

Many families cannot return to work as normal as the school are not open.

Some of mine have worked all the way through too, no chance of a day out for them.

maddyone I agree whole-heartedly.

In fact, these uncaring, selfish people are just taking the mickey out of the rest of us now.

I don’t resent the furlough scheme at all, it was absolutely necessary. But I think it’s time to end it now and get people back to work. The furlough scheme was introduced to ensure the lockdown and it worked, but it’s not working now and needs to end, and get them all back to work. It’s not more dangerous to be at work than to be on a overcrowded beach, it’s probably safer.
My family have all worked all the way through the crisis.

I agree with those who have said that if people think it’s safe to congregate in huge crowds on beaches, after football matches, having street parties or joining in riots, then quite obviously they should be back at work, where with the safety provisions employers have to put in place, they are properly safer than out in these huge crowds. A lot of people appear to be treating this time as one long, paid for, jolly. It’s time to put a stop to it.

Ginny You are right, my daughter has worked as a doctor throughout this crisis, and she is pretty disgusted by the behaviour, and by the fact that she, along with those of us who have had to continue paying our taxes, are paying for people to have an elongated holiday. They should be back at work now.

Oh well! It will save the government a bit in pensions.