.png.5ff10cca1d0967e44a17e4a2edde2a80.png)
Meantime
-
Posts
4,128 -
Joined
-
Days Won
50
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Articles
Gallery
Store
Posts posted by Meantime
-
-
11 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:
I don't know if this has been mentioned - (don't want to trawl through the whole thread) but if you go on the online booking system and get allocated a centre umpteen miles away or a date you don't like, try refreshing it. Mrs Nog was persistent for quite a good few minutes but ended up getting a local centre just a few minutes away on the bus and an appointment for the next day. I cancelled my appointment and re-did it and got a much better date and time.
Of course the system is steam driven up here in flat hat land but the same principle may apply. Worth trying.
Glad to see young Jean is with us too
It appears to be very much luck of the draw if someone cancels an appointment just as you refresh and happen to stumble upon it. However you do need to be quick. On two occasions I found a good local appointment, then it asked me to choose my second appointment and by the time I got to confirm my details and click and confirm, it informed me that one of my appointments was no longer available and I needed to start again. Third time around after a bit of refreshing and finding a good appointment I just took all the defaults to get through the second appointment choice as quick as possible to get to the confirmation page and it was third time lucky. Only for my local PCT to text me the next day to say I could book at my local centre this Friday with an even earlier appointment and more local, so I have now cancelled by previous two and hopefully some lucky person logged in just at the right time and has an appointment local to them now.
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, BroadsAuthority said:
Hi Meantime,
Although there are still details that need to be ironed out, all of the new information on our site regarding the COVID-19 roadmap has come directly from DEFRA via email discussions between the BA/EA/CRT/BM and DEFRA officials.
I believe that DEFRA officials are still in the process of clarifying a few things with the Cabinet Office to refine the information further, and any changes will be communicated on our website as before.
Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for explaining the process and where the information has come from, as I said it is not a dig at the BA, but the information does seem to be in contradiction to the legislation as it stands currently, all very confusing.
-
We seem to have diverted off at a slight tangent, but to bring the topic back on track again and back to the subject of the BA latest guidance it would seem that some aspects of the underlying Government legislation has been over looked.
The current Corona Virus restrictions in places are backed up by The Health Protection Regulations 2020, which can be found on the link below,
Those regulations are due to expire at the end of 31st March, although we can safely say they will be extended. They have been amended to take into account the changes that occurred on the 8th March. Leaving aside the semantics of the fact that there is still no legal definition of "stay local" in the regulations, it in some cases becomes irrelevant when you consider Schedule 3A of the regulations which lists the types of business that must stay closed and the exceptions for those that can open. The updated for the 8th March changes copy can be found on the link below,
Looking down near the bottom of the list I can see (cc) carpet stores, which would explain why it is irrelevant how close I live to my local carpet shop, it has to remain closed. (ee) car washes (except for automatic car washes) and stuck right between the two (dd) showrooms and other premises, including outdoor areas, used for the sale or hire of caravans, boats or any vehicle which can be propelled by mechanical means. So it looks like you cannot hire or go and buy a new caravan for now.
So if anyone is hiring boats at the moment, then it looks like how far the customer travels is largely irrelevant.
Please don't turn this into a BA knocking session, because that is not the aim of this post, but have I just highlighted the issues with other agencies interpreting the Government legislation? One assumes that the BA have sought advice from Defra, who in turn one assumes has legal people who have researched the legislation, so who is right and has the right advice. The Government, Defra, or the BA. I wonder if it would be a defense if fined under the Corona Virus legislation.
If I own a business, should I be following the Government legislation, Defra, BMF or the BA?
I would agree that as recreation people should be able to use their own boat, if local, and even with one other person if it is open aired, but does the Government legislation actually allow for boat hire yards to be open to the public yet? Genuine question, because it is more than likely I've overlooked a sub clause or exemption, even if I cannot see one, not for the want of trying.
-
1
-
-
10 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:
Whilst I know that the BA does not have "Power of enforcement", it does have the authority to advise people disregarding the rules, and it does have the authority to contact Broadsbeat if said advice is ignored.
An interesting point, but I would suggest they have no more power than you or I to advise someone they are breaking the rules. unless it's a Broads Authority byelaw. If I was walking into my local boat hire company and was stopped by a Policeman and asked why I was there and where I had travelled from, I would have to comply to their request. I think you can see where I'm heading with this, but let's keep it positive. Things are slowly moving in the right direction. Some people will have sour grapes that they cannot travel to their boat, whilst others appear to be having fun in day boats, but it's all a sign that slowly, ever so slowly things are starting to reopen and that the time will come when everyone can revisit their boats, or travel from further afield to hire a boat.
-
1
-
-
6 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:
Read into that what you will but personally I would suggest that the BA leaves this one to Broads Beat.
I would tend to agree. The BA have no powers of enforcement when it comes to Corona Virus legislation, but they do have a vested interest as the licensing authority for the hire boats concerned. As long as HW is happy that it is on the list of businesses allowed to open, then it is doing nothing wrong. As long as customers conform to the legislation on mixing outdoors and are local, then they are also doing nothing wrong.
-
12 minutes ago, vanessan said:
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/broads-boat-hire-resumes-amid-concern-from-residents-7816810
(The EDP headline actually reads ‘Vigilant boat firm checking postcodes to weed out non-local customers.)
The level of journalism at the EDP has got worse if that were possible.
Quote "The prime minister's lockdown roadmap said day boat hire for a local, single household or bubble could resume on March 8, with this being extended to six people or two households from March 29."
The Government's roadmap made no mention of day boat hire at all. All recreation activities have to fit in with the general guidelines that the Government have advertised in their roadmap out of lockdown.
Quotes such as the one above from the EDP are mixing information from several sources to look like it came from the Prime Minister. I agree that there is nothing in the Government roadmap to prevent hiring an open air day boat for recreation from the 8th March providing you are local and abide by the social distancing rules, but such specific advice was not published by the Government.
-
1
-
-
Just now, Mouldy said:
Hmmm, but the point here is that whilst the vast majority of vulnerable and older members of society have received at least one dose of vaccine, most parents of school age children will be under 40-45 and have yet to be vaccinated. It seem obvious to me that the incidence of cases is going to rise as the result of children mixing at school and potentially taking the virus home.
I get that schools need to reopen and the education process get underway again, but if the time spent in lockdown proves to have been wasted, due to pushing it too fast, I wonder how well the prolonging of restrictive measures will be received.
I understand what your saying, but when you consider that 99% of the deaths have occurred in the over 50's, which as you point out is not the age bracket for school age children parents. The same is true for hospitilisations. If infections rise in the under 50's who have not been vaccinated, but they are healthy enough in general to fend off the virus at home, then in many ways it is not a lot different to what we face every year with the flu. Group 6 those with underlying conditions also takes into account those below 50, so most of the at risk have, or very soon will have had their first jab.
-
4 minutes ago, Mouldy said:
I don’t think it’ll take that long!! My brother-in-law has his own business and within a day of his office manager sending her children back to school on Monday, one is already in isolation due to someone in the class being tested positive.
Sending all of the schools back at the same time was a mistake, as far as I’m concerned and I can see the consequences of that will be that the ‘road map’ dates will be pushed back as infections rise again.
It is worth pointing out though that rising infection rates alone is not one of the tests for pushing back the dates.
Test 1 The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
Test 2 Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Test 3 Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Test 4 Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern.
The above tests allow for wiggle room in the rate of infection to rise in the younger healthier population without affecting the planned roadmap dates, as long as it doesn't result in a surge of hospitalisations or deaths. As long as the vaccine protects the elderly and vulnerable, the younger population could be allowed to gain more natural herd immunity providing it doesn't put too much pressure on the NHS.
-
1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said:
That's all perfectly clear! Surprised that night clubs are to be opened so soon. Such places always struck me as pretty foetid, or at least the nightclubs to which I have been drawn have been!
Perhaps it was too clear as it has now been removed from the site. It might have been because of the graphics were deemed to be copyright material, but they are from a publication which is licensed under the Open Government License V3.0.
To quote "You are encouraged to use and re-use the Information that is available under this licence freely and flexibly, with only a few conditions."
-
1
-
-
The following two Government graphics just summarise the information in a slightly different way and might be handier for people as they could print them back to back on a A4 piece of paper as a handy quick reference.
-
26 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:
That's all perfectly clear! Surprised that night clubs are to be opened so soon. Such places always struck me as pretty foetid, or at least the nightclubs to which I have been drawn have been!
The key phrases are at least five weeks after step three and no earlier than. If any step is delayed due to the data then the rest will also be delayed. All the signs are looking promising and this year we have the vaccine which we didn't have last year. Lets hope that nightclubs are open on the 21st June, because it will mean the whole country is in a very good place.
-
13 hours ago, Helian said:
As I understand this latest guidance is that "open air" boating is permitted but not in a "covered" boat..... So presumably I can take my boat out as long as I only use the flybridge, but I breach regulations if I go inside....
This confusion is what happens when other authorities start to interpret the advice.
First and foremost people should follow the Government legislation, this is enforceable by the Police, and the Government guidance.
The BA's guidance is nothing more than that and is not enforceable by either the Police or the BA.
I would suggest that people look at the Government legislation in relation to what they can or cannot do, should or shouldn't do overall, rather than just the one sector they want to engage in. For instance leisure boating for me falls under the category of recreation and therefore I will look to the Government legislation on recreation, followed by whom I'm allowed to enjoy that recreation with, followed by how far I can travel to enjoy that recreation, followed by the duration I'm allowed to spend away from home, for all my recreation, not just boating.
The following Government graphics might make it easier for some. As of the 8th March the over arching aim is to still stay at home, but with some limited exceptions for recreation or exercise, but noting the limits on social mixing. On the 29th March the rules on social mixing outdoors are relaxed more and the stay at home message changes to minimise travel, but no holidays means no overnight stays away from home. Key things to consider for boats is who you are mixing with as to whether it can be indoors (covered boat) or outdoors (open boat). The BA trying to make a one size fits all simple chart doesn't work. You need to look at your own individual circumstances and plans and then look at the Government guidance to see if you can do it or not.
The next step is as follows, no earlier than 12th April. The relevant bits here are domestic overnight stays and self contained accommodation allowed for your own single household only. That would enable hire boats with overnight accommodation to operate providing they are hired by a single household. The self contained bit is why shared facilities at boat yards or caravan or camping parks should stay shut. The holiday easing does not extend to foreign holidays at this stage. You need to look at meeting all the criteria to realise that for instance your household could stay on a hire boat, or your own boat overnight, but you couldn't invite extended family or friends from another household at this stage, however you might decide to hold a BBQ or picnic next to your boat and invite another household or up to 6 people to enjoy that BBQ or picnic with you next to your boat, but they cannot shelter on your boat if it rains, or stay overnight.
The next step, no earlier than 17th May, relaxes some of the earlier rules further to enable to stay away from home with another household, subject to the limits. International travel now allowed and indoor hospitality open which is also the date that shared facilities at boat yards, caravan and camping parks would be allowed to open.
Then finally no earlier than 21st June the following are all allowed.
It's worth noting that each step contains some pretty big lifting of restrictions and the potential for the virus spread to take off again, meaning the timescales could well be modified.
-
2
-
2
-
-
2 hours ago, vanessan said:
I was referring to B&M but I think Meantime may have been referring to Specsavers!
Yes sorry I couldn't resist!
-
1
-
-
5 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:
The screen is yet to turn green
Give it time!
-
1
-
-
1 minute ago, vanessan said:
I checked online too and I can’t find it either! I must have dreamt it, I felt sure it was somewhere near the B&M store. Must go to Specsavers.........🤓
Now your really in trouble! There's not one of those either in Beccles
-
2
-
-
2 hours ago, grendel said:
well the advice doesnt seem that much different to before, except they have removed the graphic chart that was obviously causing confusion.
If you follow the link I posted earlier you will find on that page a link to a new roadmap the BA have published. For ease I have added a link to it in this post. That roadmap still carries some discrepancies when compared to the Government guidance, but more closely follows it than anything they have managed to publish so far. We could endlessly debate the differences between the original and the new revised version, but it would be a pointless waste of time as at any point the debate could and most likely would be locked.
The best advice therefore is to follow the Government guidance. If you find a discrepancy between the BA guidance and the Government guidance, follow the Government guidance.
BA's Revised Lockdown Guidance Roadmap
I will add that the Government guidance makes far less usage of bold text than the BA's guidance. Make of that what you will.
-
3
-
-
6 minutes ago, vanessan said:
Beccles has unfortunately lost Beales which was always good to have a wander around. Plenty of food stores what with Tesco, Morrison’s, Aldi, Lidl and the Coop. Probably some I don’t know about too!
Can't remember an Aldi in Beccles? but there is also Roys and B&M. Oh and Iceland.
-
17 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:
I don't think that it was the Man from Delmonte, however I could hazard am alternative suggestion!!
Why am I reminded of an arcade game from the early 80's
-
2
-
-
Only one stop on the train from Oulton Broad South and with plenty of good watering holes. Can see a Friday visit being worth a go.
-
1
-
-
Just now, JennyMorgan said:
Mind you, it's not a village.
I thought Beccles was a market town? Does it still have a market?
-
1 minute ago, marshman said:
Thats a bit strange as I fully expect hiring of cruisers to single households beginning on 12th April? Camping and caravan sites too from that date as long as they meet the wider restrictions or so their websites say?
No no - I don't want to open a wider discussion!
Sorry!
It's correct. From (No earlier than) 12th April self contained / self catering holiday accommodation and second homes can open and be used. This means that all shared facilities must stay closed. From (No earlier than) 17th May Hotels and serviced holiday facilities may open in line with indoors dining being open. So shared facilities on camp sites can also open.
-
It seems the BA have quietly and subtly amended their guidance so that is more closely follows the Governments official legislation and guidance. Although I'm now struggling to find where it says "avoid travelling long distances" in the Governments advice. You would have thought that having shot themselves in the foot once, they would avoid doing so again!
Anyway it does seem that good honest, open and unstifled debate in some places has led the BA to review its "guidance" to more closely follow the Governments.
The BA's advice is on the link below, but as ever I would advise to follow the Governments official advice.
-
2
-
-
4 minutes ago, NorfolkNog said:
I can't place where this is - upper Thurne maybe?
There seems to be a lot of stuff for sale at the mo.
https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/business/holiday-village-on-broads-for-sale-7805932
Thats on the righthand side as you head towards Potter Bridge before you get to Maycraft. Seems like a few retiring this year.
-
1
-
-
7 minutes ago, marshman said:
The locals are never happy!
They forget that many people rely on people flocking in, so to speak, and that these people are many others livelihood!
No doubt he EDP will be full of such stories but they are only to be expected - bit like last summer using "stock" pictures of crowded beaches giving the wrong impression - no evidence at all that these people will either have coronavirus nor spread it.
We cannot live on handouts forever!!
Next people will be moaning about the prices of hiring going up!
-
1
-
The Latest Amended Broads Authority Guidance
in Broads Chat
Posted
Interesting update from The Broads Authority, still seems to muddy the waters to me though, especially the link to the roadmap, which could do with a proof read.
Latest Latest Latest Updated Guidance