Restaurants allowing"business" meetings

wyliefan

wyliefan

Active member
So what's people's thoughts on the loophole that has come to light where restaurants can allow people from different households to have "business" lunches and meetings ?
One restaurant in the area advertising the fact they can do so that I've already seen. Surely this will just be totally abused in every way possible?
 
wyliefan said:
So what's people's thoughts on the loophole that has come to light where restaurants can allow people from different households to have "business" lunches and meetings ?
One restaurant in the area advertising the fact they can do so that I've already seen. Surely this will just be totally abused in every way possible?
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I read of place down on Essex that was charging people £3 per hour to use the WiFi and to have a table setup for them away from other customers for 'working from home' purposes. Unlimited tea and coffee and bacon butties for each hour paid too.
Some businesses will unfortunately be forced into these weird and wonderful ways of trying to stay afloat.
 
There's a pub near me charging £10 per 1/2 day for use of WiFi and unlimited tea/coffee - only one person per table though, no meetings allowed. I think they've put a special lunchtime sandwich menu on as well
 
Artie Fufkin said:
There's a pub near me charging £10 per 1/2 day for use of WiFi and unlimited tea/coffee - only one person per table though, no meetings allowed. I think they've put a special lunchtime sandwich menu on as well
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Few round here done that too. I suppose you have to make use of the tea/coffee to get the benefit, but its no good for Zoom calls unless they can give you your own room!
 
RandySavage said:
I read of place down on Essex that was charging people £3 per hour to use the WiFi and to have a table setup for them away from other customers for 'working from home' purposes. Unlimited tea and coffee and bacon butties for each hour paid too.
Some businesses will unfortunately be forced into these weird and wonderful ways of trying to stay afloat.
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Yes I think thats a great idea - but in terms of two households mixing indoors issue in Tier 2 pubs calling themselves businesses - that is happening all the time in London. Its the standard get round.
 
atypical_boro said:
Few round here done that too. I suppose you have to make use of the tea/coffee to get the benefit, but its no good for Zoom calls unless they can give you your own room!
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If you've got a headset or ear phones it's no different to a phone call? you can always do the blurry background thing so it doesn't look like a day on the hoy. The pub I'm on about is pretty quiet during the day and I think they're just using their 'library room' so chances are you'd be the only one in, maybe 2 but with 2m distancing it wouldn't be much different to an office environment. Background of a massive bookcase would actually look good
 
Artie Fufkin said:
If you've got a headset or ear phones it's no different to a phone call? you can always do the blurry background thing so it doesn't look like day on the hoy. The pub I'm on about is pretty quiet during the day and I think they're just using their 'library room' so chances are you'd be the only one in, maybe 2 but with 2m distancing it wouldn'tbe much differentto an office environment. Background of a massive bookcase would actually look good
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I never feel comfortable having work calls when the public can hear me.
 
atypical_boro said:
I never feel comfortable having work calls when the public can hear me.
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Like I say, if it was only 1 or 2 others I wouldn't mind, not a confidential call obviously, but standard office routine I'd be ok with that. I'll take a pic of the room next time I'm down
 
Artie Fufkin said:
Like I say, if it was only 1 or 2 others I wouldn't mind, not a confidential call obviously, but standard office routine I'd be ok with that. I'll take a pic of the room next time I'm down
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Even if its just one person, and even if its confidential, cos I'm aware how awful other people sound on work calls and I've concluded that I must sound the same. Also, most of my Zooms are mostly confidential, just the nature of the job.
 
wyliefan said:
So what's people's thoughts on the loophole that has come to light where restaurants can allow people from different households to have "business" lunches and meetings ?
One restaurant in the area advertising the fact they can do so that I've already seen. Surely this will just be totally abused in every way possible?
Click to expand...

Stating the obvious - it’s not restaurants allowing it, these are the rules.
Sunak had a ‘business meeting’ In a restaurant, was challenged on it and told us they were allowed.
The virus doesn’t attack business people
 
atypical_boro said:
Even if its just one person, and even if its confidential, cos I'm aware how awful other people sound on work calls and I've concluded that I must sound the same. Also, most of my Zooms are mostly confidential, just the nature of the job.
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Then not for you, I know it's tough at the top 😉 for many it would be fine though, change of scenery for a couple of hours
 
Artie Fufkin said:
Then not for you, I know it's tough at the top 😉 for many it would be fine though, change of scenery for a couple of hours
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Nothing to do with seniority, just a reflection of how scrutinised we are. I used to go and work in a local cafe sometimes, if I was WFH, for a change of scenery before covid. Now I don't bother as everyone else is doing the same and its Bedlam more often that not.
 
wyliefan said:
So what's people's thoughts on the loophole that has come to light where restaurants can allow people from different households to have "business" lunches and meetings ?
One restaurant in the area advertising the fact they can do so that I've already seen. Surely this will just be totally abused in every way possible?
Click to expand...
Typical of this shi77y government's mixed messages.
Open to abuse and also will encourage others to just ignore the rules.
 
atypical_boro said:
Nothing to do with seniority, just a reflection of how scrutinised we are. I used to go and work in a local cafe sometimes, if I was WFH, for a change of scenery before covid. Now I don't bother as everyone else is doing the same and its Bedlam more often that not.
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I understand, it works for some but not for others, and I'm only quoting a single example where it's very quiet, not at all bedlam. plus quite a good way for badly affected local pubs, cafes, restaurants getting a little extra in the till while they suffer the effects of tier 2 on their business
 
im going to a buisness meeting on saturday at a well known venue that also specialises in weddings, the "company" is being charged £20 a head, dress is smart and there will be a served buffet and speaches. The invites have been done on very fancy parchment... im looking forward to it, theres even a talk of a merger with another company so should be interesting... ;)

we are also planning a funeral for the pet turkey on xmas day for all the family...
 
Artie Fufkin said:
I understand, it works for some but not for others, and I'm only quoting a single example where it's very quiet, not at all bedlam. plus quite a good way for badly affected local pubs, cafes, restaurants getting a little extra in the till while they suffer the effects of tier 2 on their business
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Tier 3 here. If I see someone I know, which is likely, I could technically be arrested if the police don't believe it to be accidental.
 
It’s these loopholes that make the guidelines in a lot of cases a total farce, how can a business meeting in a pub be acceptable and yet meeting a friend or member of your family is the same venue not ? If the business meeting can be conducted without risk as governed by the premises then social meetings can be managed the same, surely ?
 
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