Coronavirus And The Broads

[JawsOrca]

Sorry, I'm going to put my foot in it.. Just to maybe reduce the bashing, I must add the disclaimer .. - I feel for the industry and all those working in it and the economy affects... 

Here goes, Lets not forget the current status quo, we have a highly contagious disease that makes it potentially deadly to even stand within 2 meters of another human being.

Sorry but air travel at the moment and likely for the next 12 months is a no goer until we may not die if we get within 2 feet of a human.. It's kinda tough at the moment but is what it is.. Sorry airlines and airports but that's the business you are in and have been in and earnt lots of money from.. If you can't make it safe for the next 12 months you need to adapt, run off savings or adapt.  They can't screen for this without tests as facts are that you may have it even if you don't have a fever. I don't get what Heathrow airport are trying to achieve by saying social distancing isnt possible.. again it's kinda tough, if they can't run an airport safely then they can't run an airport, safety comes first.. not expecting the government to make a special exception.

Surely everyone adapted during the war?

Ok Rant over..

[Poppy]

50 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

As for flying in food from abroad, how much of that is 'luxury' or unseasonable food that is largely unnecessary, especially for the obese among us. Once this is all over we shall have to adopt to change, why should that change exclude food? Do we really need strawberries for twelve months of the year, for example?

Absolutely !  

We are now well into the English asparagus season. Why then did I see in Tesco this week asparagus from PERU ?

[Meantime]

2 minutes ago, Poppy said:

Absolutely !  

We are now well into the English asparagus season. Why then did I see in Tesco this week asparagus from PERU ?

Because it is cheaper than growing it here. We couldn't get enough people in the UK to go and pick asparagus so we had to fly in people from Eastern Europe. We have enough people, just no one who wants to do it for the low wage and therefore we rely on cheap European labour, or cheap imports. 

[Poppy]

3 minutes ago, EastCoastIPA said:

Because it is cheaper than growing it here. We couldn't get enough people in the UK to go and pick asparagus so we had to fly in people from Eastern Europe. We have enough people, just no one who wants to do it for the low wage and therefore we rely on cheap European labour, or cheap imports. 

As you said a little earlier 'of course the answer is to pay more '.  And as JM pointed out, why do we need strawberries all year round ( they mostly taste of nothing any how) so why as well do we need asparagus all year round?

[Meantime]

It's not possible for everyone of course, but growing your own is vastly over looked. I grew some carrots last year and they actually taste of carrot!! I got a bit carried away and planted too many. The best way to store carrots is to actually leave them in the ground, especially if in a shady area. I haven't purchased carrots at all since last Summer and have just six still left to pull up from last years crop.

[Vaughan]

3 hours ago, Hylander said:

ooops!!!  Are we all in the naughty corner AGAIN???   Sorry.    .     Social distancing of course.

I am sorry you see it that way. I was simply suggesting that this is, after all, a forum about the Norfolk Broads. The clue is in the name.

But then, so what? I see the thread has already drifted into the home growing of carrots, anyway . . . . 

[NorfolkNog]

This Forum drifting? Never been known before, whatever next?  

[Meantime]

Might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb! Here's last years tomatoes and chilli's to end my thread drift  Apologies to all non gardeners.  

[Chelsea14Ian]

As far as trade goes in my business We try now to go with the seasons and local.My company works with lots of local and uk suppliers. 

I agree about strawberries, this time of the year uk/local are wonderful. With regard certain foods available all year round. Then we are all to blame,demand came from the public. There is a real change now in supporting local.I think that will grow following on from this dreadful disease. There is much that comes in from abroad, much of which from China, that wont stop how ever much we dont like it.Most via shipping and air travel. Transport is I feel the biggest problem concerning the world.Risks accessed and as far as possible managed. The world has to return to work.We cant just wait until  a vaccine is in place,which  may not be in place for a year.It will be a bit like turning the tap on then off if infections rise and so on.It is perhaps the most challenging crisis the world have faced in peacetime. 

 

 

[Bytheriver]

1 hour ago, EastCoastIPA said:

Because it is cheaper than growing it here. We couldn't get enough people in the UK to go and pick asparagus so we had to fly in people from Eastern Europe. We have enough people, just no one who wants to do it for the low wage and therefore we rely on cheap European labour, or cheap imports. 

Its a jolly good way of bringing the issue, which was going to happen anyway this year or next to the governments attention. They always assumed that once inward immigration was stopped the unemployed in the UK who pressed for restraint in bringing agricultural & horticultural from Europe in the first place would rush to take up the slack. So in a way the current situation will concentrate minds. Its a good job place of origin is still on fresh products as I am sure some in the trade would prefer it was hidden.

[Bytheriver]

2 minutes ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

As far as trade goes in my business We try now to go with the seasons and local.My company works with lots of local and uk suppliers. 

I agree about strawberries, this time of the year uk/local are wonderful. With regard certain foods available all year round. Then we are all to blame,demand came from the public. There is a real change now in supporting local.I think that will grow following on from this dreadful disease. There is much that comes in from abroad, much of which from China, that wont stop how ever much we dont like it.Most via shipping and air travel. Transport is I feel the biggest problem concerning the world.Risks accessed and as far as possible managed. The world has to return to work.We cant just wait until  a vaccine is in place,which  may not be in place for a year.It will be a bit like turning the tap on then off if infections rise and so on.It is perhaps the most challenging crisis the world have faced in peacetime. 

 

 

I for one am putting little faith in a effective vaccination - Even the flu jab which is still not available to the whole community & which has been under development for over 50 years is still not perfect.Most hospital admissions in a normal flu season are from the Care & Residential School settings which are eligible for the flu jab.

[NorfolkNog]

Latest from Hoseasons 

[Meantime]

3 minutes ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

As far as trade goes in my business We try now to go with the seasons and local.My company works with lots of local and uk suppliers. 

I agree about strawberries, this time of the year uk/local are wonderful. With regard certain foods available all year round. Then we are all to blame,demand came from the public. There is a real change now in supporting local.I think that will grow following on from this dreadful disease. There is much that comes in from abroad, much of which from China, that wont stop how ever much we dont like it.Most via shipping and air travel. Transport is I feel the biggest problem concerning the world.Risks accessed and as far as possible managed. The world has to return to work.We cant just wait until  a vaccine is in place,which  may not be in place for a year.It will be a bit like turning the tap on then off if infections rise and so on.It is perhaps the most challenging crisis the world have faced in peacetime. 

 

 

Although I do feel some of it is chicken and egg. Did the public really ask for strawberries all year round? Or did the supermarkets realise how well they sell when in season, so imported some to see how well they would sell out of season. People bought them because they were there and so the supermarkets restocked and so on and so on. Did people ask for Easter Eggs in supermarkets in January? but they are and because they are people will buy them.

I see there is some speculation in the press that pub beer gardens may be allowed to reopen. Many of the Broads pubs have quite large gardens near or overlooking the rivers. This could lead to a slow resumption in business for some of the local hostelries.

Phew! might just about have managed to get back on track with that one Howard.

[Poppy]

12 minutes ago, Bytheriver said:

I for one am putting little faith in a effective vaccination - Even the flu jab which is still not available to the whole community & which has been under development for over 50 years is still not perfect.Most hospital admissions in a normal flu season are from the Care & Residential School settings which are eligible for the flu jab.

The reason the 'flu jab is 'still not perfect' is that the virus mutates to a new strain every season and a  'guess' has to be made as to the most likely strain expected in the next season.

Influenza is a coronavirus, as is the common cold, and we develop immunity to neither for that reason.

Covid 19 is also a corona virus and it's by no means certain yet if it too shares this ability to mutate.

[DAVIDH]

3 hours ago, Poppy said:

But whilst the 'way' might be there , the undeliverable would appear to be the capacity . With an Emirates A380 seating typically 525 passengers, where will the testing be carried out at, say Heathrow ?   Already Heathrow bosses have said there is not enough room for 2m social distancing . Other airports are bound to have similar issues.

Poppy, if the alternative is to have planes stranded on the ground and airports empty of cash-rich passengers, I'm sure the airports will find a way of making this work, though they may have to close some of their revenue generating areas like Duty Free to accommodate it. Emirates have the largest fleet of A380's in the world by some distance, so if they can do it, I'm sure other airlines can. This is I suspect, in the trial stage so it will be interesting to see how it develops. 

[Hylander]

1 hour ago, EastCoastIPA said:

Might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb! Here's last years tomatoes and chilli's to end my thread drift  Apologies to all non gardeners.  

Think we should change your Avatar to 'Old Green Fingers'.   Well done - a good crop.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

2 hours ago, EastCoastIPA said:

Because it is cheaper than growing it here. We couldn't get enough people in the UK to go and pick asparagus so we had to fly in people from Eastern Europe. We have enough people, just no one who wants to do it for the low wage and therefore we rely on cheap European labour, or cheap imports. 

I`ve seen and read articles lately where people have tried to do this work but despite leaving contact details  no one has got back to them. Another example was companies replying to the goverment call for masks where again no one got back to them. Just more examples of how the bigger the organisation is the slower it reacts.

[Poppy]

1 minute ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

I`ve seen and read articles lately where people have tried to do this work but despite leaving contact details  no one has got back to them. Another example was companies replying to the goverment call for masks where again no one got back to them. Just more examples of how the bigger the organisation is the slower it reacts.

We were told that we didn't need these unskilled overseas workers.

Well it seems that cutting asparagus, to name just one crop, from interviews I've heard on Radio Norfolk is actually far from unskilled...

[grendel]

5 hours ago, Hylander said:

ooops!!!  Are we all in the naughty corner AGAIN???   Sorry.    .     Social distancing of course.

I think you will find that a corner would contravene the social distancing rules, so it had better be a whole room, better still a field.

[grendel]

2 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

This Forum drifting

well boats can drift, so why not forums (see how neatly I dragged the topic back to boats at least)

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, NorfolkNog said:

Latest from Hoseasons 

Better late than never!

[MotorBoater]

Money paid up for our July holiday today, also upgraded the boat from Melody 4 to Glistening Horizon 2. Looking forward to it obviously so we will have to wait and see.

If it again takes a couple of days to sort the steering out I might consider getting the wife to walk in front with a red flag but that presents an obvious problem.

In the process of finalising things I discovered this on Richardsons website, dated yesterday.

 

"Latest Bookings Updates

Last updated 09:42, 06.05.2020 

We know our guests have concerns and queries regarding the COVID-19 situation and we understand those concerns. This page is intended to keep all of our guests up-to-date with the latest information surrounding the current situation and we will work to keep this updated as and when we receive new information. 

MAY BOOKINGS 

We are not currently cancelling May bookings. However, we do understand the current situation has created some concerns for our guests regarding their holidays. 

In order to operate smoothly, we will not be cancelling holidays until the day of arrival, up to 21st May 2020.  

In the meantime, we will be offering guests with an arrival date up to 21st May 2020 the opportunity to transfer their holiday. 

We are waiving the administration fee. 

If you are due to arrive before 21st May 2020, you are able to transfer your holiday to the same tariff either later this year (after 4th June 2020) or the same tariff in 2021. 

If you would like to transfer your holiday to a different tariff, then you will need to pay the price difference if any applies, however any extra to be paid will be due 8 weeks before your new arrival date as shown on your updated confirmation. 

All transfers will be subject to availability. 

F.A.Q.s 

Q. If I pay my balance what are the options if it doesn’t go ahead? Can I have a refund?
A. We cannot deal with any bookings after 21st May 2020 at this time. However, if your holiday does not go ahead we will be able to either transfer your holiday, or offer you a refund."

 

As always, wait and see. Hopefully Sunday will bring good news from The Boris. Stay safe.

 

 

[NorfolkNog]

There's more! We fall in the second group. I've spoken to the yard owner and previously messaged Hoseasons although looks like I might need to do it again. 

[Poppy]

Latest information for members from the RYA, received this afternoon.

Dear RYA member,

 

As we near Boris Johnson’s anticipated announcement this Sunday where we expect to hear the Government’s plans for the easing of lockdown restrictions, we are working on a range of guidance and resources to help our members and the wider boating community prepare for a return to the water. These resources will ensure you can return to activities on the water as quickly and safely as possible.

 

While the detail of Government plans for easing restrictions are not yet known, we are keen to share with you the following ‘guiding principles’ that will shape our detailed response:

 

1.  We will always follow Government guidance

 

The COVID-19 preventative measures are vital to protecting health and well-being and to minimising pressure on the frontline services. We all have a role to play by following the Government guidelines.

 

We will provide advice to show how the latest measures on social distancing, hygiene and travel can be applied to boating, showing examples of the level of activity that each phase will allow.

 

We are mindful that Home Country Governments may issue their own phased plans and measures. Additionally, as we have seen to date, local authorities, harbour authorities or marinas may also interpret guidance differently. We will carefully review any industry specific guidance that impacts on boating activities, such as advice for the sport and hospitality sectors, as well as paying particular attention to any guidance for specific sections of our community.

 

Where the application of Government guidance is unclear, we will seek clarification on your behalf so that all boaters and activity organisers are kept informed.

 

2. We will, as a boating community, take a considerate and conservative approach

 

•  Considerate: be mindful of the potential impact that you could have on other water users and do not place unnecessary extra strain on the RNLI and emergency services.

 

Consider the local area and whether there is a risk that you could put extra pressure on the RNLI or frontline services. For example, are you in a very remote location? Is the area very busy? Look out for others such as families on beaches or people on other boats and think about how your activity could help or hinder them. For example, windsurfers or kiteboarders who launch from the beach should give extra space to beach users. Boaters should keep an eye out for others, and be ready to assist if trouble arises.

 

•  Conservative: help to minimise risk by taking an extra conservative approach to your boating.

 

Our guidance on safety remains unchanged: know your limits; look after yourself; keep in touch and, above all, have a plan. As we start to get back on the water, we will be advising boaters to take an even more conservative approach when planning to go afloat.

 

Looking ahead

 

We share our members’ enthusiasm for a return to boating once we start to see a relaxation of the current restrictions. Getting afloat undoubtedly benefits both mental and physical well-being and we believe that with appropriate measures, a basic level of safe and responsible activity can be delivered to get you active on the water.

 

We remain committed to representing the interests of the recreational boating community and we eagerly await the Government’s announcement on Sunday.

 

Our members, affiliated clubs, classes, and recognised training centres will receive a further update as soon as we have reviewed the Government’s plans and their impact on boating activities.

 

[rightsaidfred]

15 minutes ago, Poppy said:

Latest information for members from the RYA, received this afternoon.

Dear RYA member,

1   We will always follow Government guidance

 

 

 

Sorry but what a load of waffle summed up by the one line above.

Fred