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Cheltenham Gold Cup went ahead (about 11th to 14th March), just a few days before wider restrictions were announced. 60,000 people attended Cheltenham, on top

by DanBC 7y ago

Cheltenham Gold Cup went ahead (about 11th to 14th March), just a few days before wider restrictions were announced. 60,000 people attended Cheltenham, on top of their normal population of about 100,000 people. It was much quieter in town this year (normally Winchcombe Street is full of people and activities, but this year it was mostly empty). But still, that's 60k people travelling while the pandemic is in full swing. I live close to a martial arts studio and they're still open, and that feels sub-optimal. The other problem with not enforcing measures is that it leaves the public to pick up the bill. Some train tickets ("advance") are not refundable at the moment, and credit card companies are not allowing charge-backs because the trains are still running. If the government announced wider restrictions people could get refunds. This burden of payment is a tricky problem: the public should share some of the cost, but the way it's happening now is a bit haphazard and is disproportionately burdening poor people.

kwhitefoot 7y ago
> martial arts studio and they're still open, and that feels sub-optimal. Here in Norway all non-essential businesses that require close contact between people are required to close until further notice. That includes all gyms, tattooists, hair dressers, nail bars, non-essential physiotherapy, etc. Bars, restaurants, and cafés have to enforce a one metre separation rule (usually done by removing every second table) and several towns have prepared orders to close them entirely if bars are discovered to not be complying. We are also encouraged not to travel unnecessarily and people with cabins in the mountains are forbidden from using them unless they already live in the same kommune; this is to avoid overloading the health service in sparsely populated and remote areas. > not enforcing measures is that it leaves the public to pick up the bill. I've been bombarded with texts and emails from the companies that I deal with reassuring me that they will allow bills to be deferred, tickets refunded or rebooked without cost, etc. (including from National Express in the UK).
- DanBC 7y ago
  UK train companies are refunding some, but not all, tickets. They're not refunding "advance" tickets, and probably won't until the government implements a firmer ban or changes the law.

by DanBC 7y ago

kwhitefoot 7y ago

> martial arts studio and they're still open, and that feels sub-optimal. Here in Norway all non-essential businesses that require close contact between people are required to close until further notice. That includes all gyms, tattooists, hair dressers, nail bars, non-essential physiotherapy, etc. Bars, restaurants, and cafés have to enforce a one metre separation rule (usually done by removing every second table) and several towns have prepared orders to close them entirely if bars are discovered to not be complying. We are also encouraged not to travel unnecessarily and people with cabins in the mountains are forbidden from using them unless they already live in the same kommune; this is to avoid overloading the health service in sparsely populated and remote areas. > not enforcing measures is that it leaves the public to pick up the bill. I've been bombarded with texts and emails from the companies that I deal with reassuring me that they will allow bills to be deferred, tickets refunded or rebooked without cost, etc. (including from National Express in the UK).

DanBC 7y ago
UK train companies are refunding some, but not all, tickets. They're not refunding "advance" tickets, and probably won't until the government implements a firmer ban or changes the law.