The impossible is now possible.

It seems to me that on Gransnet people are very dismissive of the feelings of those who are really concerned as to whether they will be able to have a holiday.

Well some people certainly are, whilst others are more understanding. Working people certainly deserve a holiday, especially those who are working on the front line. Unfortunately I have noticed that some people lack much understanding of other people, especially as I said, those on the front line. Some Gransnetters are so terrified of getting Covid and possibly dying that all ability to empathise with others is lost, but thankfully not all are like this. This is visible from comments about children, who have been tossed to the side during the pandemic, and their needs completely ignored. Children rarely die from Covid, but their lives have been turned upside down and the repercussions of this will become very evident in the future. So if their parents need a holiday, a bit of normality for themselves and their children, then they should be able to have it, so long as it is legal of course.
As for Gransnetters who feel the need of a holiday, so be it. I’ve had Covid and when I’m more recovered, I very much hope to be able to take a holiday. I’m looking forward to it. If others want to stay at home, that’s up to them.

Excellent post Eloethan.

That's a very perceptive post Eloethan and almost warrants a thread of its own. There are people who forget that this has been a tough time, especially for working parents of young children. They deserve a break as a family and to be honest I wouldn't blame them if they took the kids out of school for a holiday in the summer term or even in September. In fact I would offer my booked holidays if I thought it would help.

I also hope that Matt Hancock gets to have his holiday in Cornwall with his young family and that Keir Sarmer gets to Devon with his family too. There can't be anyone on Gransnet who would begrudge them that or anyone who can't understand why they made bookings despite knowing things are at present uncertain.

Do you think that we were tougher when young? My family holidays were either days out or we visited relatives.

Admittedly I lived in Dorset in the fifties near, close to a beach and for days out we sometimes went by train via Corfe Castle to Swanage and then back on the boat. My Dad had a motorbike and he built a sidecar into which 4 kids and hamper were fitted. I don't suppose that would be allowed now.

My parents eventually rented a cottage for a holiday the summer after I'd left home, aged 19 and i joined them.

A couple of years when I was first working I did 2 weeks temping - once as a tea lady at Seifert's architects (they designed Centre Point) and the following summer as an assistant to the Cordon Bleu cook at Manbre Sugars in Hammersmith. Both were quite interesting.

My conclusion is that most of my generation, post war baby boomers, did not have the holidays that young people expect today. Which may explain why some people are not particularly sympathetic.

Lillie
Excellent posts.

Dinahmo
You could be right, although I always had a two week holiday when I was a child. It was always at the seaside. I was born in 1953. My family were not well off, they saved all year for that holiday.

It doesn’t excuse a lack of empathy though. Key workers have been through the mill over the last year, and from the safe position of staying safely at home all day, I find it almost unbelievable that some people can be so self centred. My daughter and her husband are doctors, and were on their knees last summer, and their holiday in Norway was a tremendous boost to them. Now they’re on their knees again, with no end in sight. They’re considering going on a work placement to New Zealand for a year, in order to give themselves and their three young children something more like a normal life for a year. I really don’t blame them although if they do go I will miss them enormously. The loss of two doctors (and there will be more) during a pandemic is just not what the country needs, but never mind, they don’t deserve a holiday. They need to sacrifice a holiday and their children’s normal lives apparently to keep us all alive.

It's just as well that we don't need anybody to tell us whether to book a holiday - or not!

Dinahmo, they'd have to book well in advance. The compulsory quarantine hotels are fully booked for many months ahead.

It would be funny if thousands were not dying because of mixed messages open to many interpretations, “non answers”, lack of clarity etc I know we’ve never had to deal with anything like this before but even so, this shower of politicians have made everything so much worse.

I don’t think he was absurd! He clearly wanted to take his kids to the seaside and booked early, as many did, when we ALL thought this year would be better. He doesn’t have a crystal ball and is only human. I thought Charlie’s line of questioning was petty and beneath him.

Who is Charlie please?

Eloethan-perhaps you ought to take some of your own medicine, not all the retired have such the rosy life you describe. I fully understand people are desperate for holiday and the tourism, hospitality etc. industries need our custom but it would even worse to repeat the mistakes of last year. A free for all followed by another Autumn lockdown would be even worse

Blossoming

^No doubt there are obsessive rule-stickers who’d like to make it illegal even to think about a holiday anywhere, but most of us are cheerfully able to ignore them. ^

Why we have such high Covid rates in a nutshell.

Agreed. Why do some people just think rules don't apply to them? This is exactly why we have such high covid rates.

It’s so true ...men can be women they just have to say so.

We have a holiday let and we are receiving bookings like mad at the moment. I think people want to be assured they have something if it is allowed. And, something to look forward to, even if it doesn't materialise in the end. We (both parties) realise many of them might not go ahead, in which case the 'guests' will get a full refund, so no risk.

Matt Hancock's answer was the one the journalist deserved. Journalists should stop asking stupid questions and pretending its on our behalf. Would you ask a question that required the politician to be a fortune teller with a crystal ball to give a 'correct' answer?

My sister and I have a Christmas and New Year holiday booked in Egypt (carried over from 2020/2021) We are quite prepared for that to be cancelled but hope it won’t be. We are also optimistically booked for Devon in August. If the advice is that it is not safe then, so be it. Three of us long-term friends are hoping for a week somewhere in the U.K. but have not yet booked anything.

Moggycuddler did you read the whole thread? As I suggested, and she confirmed, Witzend was saying ignore those who would make it illegal to think about a holiday, not ignore the rules.

I had a whole hooha last year trying to get money back from a holiday that had been booked the year before Covid and it was local, not even abroad. The lady contacted me at Xmas to see if I wanted to book her holiday let this year and I declined. I knew things would not be back to any normality so no point going. Going to spend the money on my back garden and stay at home this year.

Areznged a trip in early 2019 for a Longleat tour with GC in April 2020. Cancelled and rearranged for August 2021. Absolutely nightmare as involves flights car hire and accommodation. Children have different holiday times so hard to coordinate. If cancelled this year by the time we can go fear the GC will be of an age not to find the trip enjoyable.

I think there is a massive difference between booking a holiday and actually going on holiday. Last summer, by the time the rules were relaxed, all our favourite holiday places were booked up ( all self catering cottages in the UK). So we have already booked a cottage near the Lake District for late summer. We are well aware and accept the fact that we may not be able to go. But that is a financial risk we are prepared to take. I suspect Matt Hancock has done the same, especially if he has children and will be dependent upon August availability.

Not holding out much hope of hols this year ? we’ve got two booked carried over from last year. Week in Northumberland in May and a cruise to the fjords in July. Think this time if we can’t go we will be asking for refunds. Such a shame but it is what it is ?‍♀️ x

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Oh dear having read some of the posts I didn’t mean to brush aside those who are desperate for a holiday! As has been said we can spend our time at home in the garden now we are retired. Those who have worked throughout the last year are most certainly in need of a break so sad if they don’t get it. If we don’t get to go to Northumberland I will miss seeing family and friends in the north east but hopefully it will keep fir another day x

Whatever he says will be wrong in the eyes of the British public. We’re surrounded by information and statistics on where the virus is. Make your own minds up.
My son and his fiancée have recently cancelled their May wedding. We’ve cancelled bookings and holidays. We’re waiting to see about August. We’ve not considered blaming anyone. Just discussed it and made our own decisions.

An interesting lot of comments.
There are many people who would love to book/dream about holidays but will never be able to afford to. Let's spare a thought for them.

We bought a second hand caravan so we would have our own COVID free accommodation and could be totally independent apart from filling up with water each day. Also have bicycles so when we can travel again we plan to go somewhere in the UK and spend our days out in the fresh air cycling around and stopping somewhere remote for a picnic lunch. I work full time so a holiday is something to look forward to but am doing what I can to be safe to both ourselves and to everyone else.

We're very lucky to have a lodge in the UK for holidays as well as a motor home. We've booked a log cabin for early May and our friends have booked one too so if we are able to go, we'll be able to have a socially distanced break for a few days.

Everyone I'm sure needs something to look forward too and I can't see what's wrong with people booking for this year, especially in the UK and hoping for the best.

As for Hancock's response I thought it was reasonable enough in answer to a stupid question.