Effect of Coronavirus

[Sue Denim]

2 hours ago, faraway saint said:

My travel destinations.....................everyone a cracking read. 

I’ve read that over in China they are now doing anal swabs for covid.

When are you booking a flight to Beijing to get tested then?

[Sue Denim]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:21 AM, Bud the Baker said:

We're all in it togrther...

 

The policies that *you* support are the cause of this.

Your support of a middle class left driven lockdown which protects the well off while throwing the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable was bound to end like this.

And the great tragedy is that’s it’s killing people who had years to live while saving no-one.

Your virtue, their death. 

[faraway saint]

7 minutes ago, Sue Denim said:

I’ve read that over in China they are now doing anal swabs for covid.

When are you booking a flight to Beijing to get tested then?

Right now. 😜

[Cookie Monster]

The policies that *you* support are the cause of this.
Your support of a middle class left driven lockdown which protects the well off while throwing the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable was bound to end like this.
And the great tragedy is that’s it’s killing people who had years to live while saving no-one.
Your virtue, their death. 

Where did they throw them?

Quarantine doesn't protect anyone?

Mmmmmm, has someone been sampling from the sherry cupboard. [emoji23]

[Bud the Baker]

@antrin 

I see London appears to be a bit more spacious these days with 700,000 people having left since the pandemic...

[Anabela]

On 12/7/2020 at 6:44 PM, Yflab said:

Maybe more people should follow these simple guidelines to financial independence.....

1. Avoid Debt;

2. Spend less than you earn;

3. Invest the difference.

My kids are nearing the end of their school education and not once have they been taught basic financial education regarding items like PAYE Taxes, National Insurance, Pensions, Benefits system, Mortgages, Credit Cards, Loans, Interest repayments, etc.

They can however list all the nicknames for class A, B and C drugs as well as understanding all the different genders and religious festivals around the world.

It rips ma knitting so it does seeing so many people lumbered with mortgages they can’t afford, loans that they struggle with repayments, credit card debts with enormous interest penalties. Don’t even get me started on the people who get sucked into long contracts for mobile phones and TV-Broadband deals.

When they lose their jobs or suffer ill health all these companies will want their pound of flesh. It’s frightening to think that Britons owe so much in consumer debt.

Total household debt in Great Britain was £1.28 trillion in April 2016 to March 2018, of which £119 billion (9%) was financial debt and £1.16 trillion (91%) was property debt (mortgages and equity release).

It is good to listen this but the truth is something else. Due to the COVID many have to take loans from some different financial institutions. I know 3 of my social media friends, who have taken loans from payday loans in MI during this period.

[Slarti]

It is good to listen this but the truth is something else. Due to the COVID many have to take loans from some different financial institutions. I know 3 of my social media friends, who have taken loans from payday loans in MI during this period.

Oh FFS, give up.

[Hizzmann]

That is a really hard financial period for most people. A lot of people lost their jobs and now they should look for some alternatives, to try new spheres to earn money. I have also changed the sphere of work and this site helped me to find a job in IT. Yeah, that is great difficulty, but I believe that we should just work hard and all will stabilize. Believe in yourself!

Edited July 12, 2021 by Hizzmann

[oaksoft]

13 hours ago, Hizzmann said:

That is a really hard financial period for most people. A lot of people lost their jobs and now they should look for some alternatives, to try new spheres to earn money. I have also changed the sphere of work and this site helped me to find a job in IT. Yeah, that is great difficulty, but I believe that we should just work hard and all will stabilize. Believe in yourself!

Are you guys all working out of the same office?

[faraway saint]

Last week we were on a wee break and the owners of the cottage left specific instructions, due to covid, we were to strip the beds and places everything in bags provided.

Having a laugh.

This week we're off on a similar break but these clowns are even worse.

Firstly, not covid related but worth a mention, they only provide ONE toilet roll, yet charge eye watering prices, for a 5 day/4 night break.

Similar to last we we've to remove the bed sheets etc, but, get this, if we don't they charge us £20.

No fecking £20 reduction for DOING their job.

This has been on the cards since last year, USING covid unnecessarily, never mind the hiking up on prices.

[rabuddies]

Faraway, I think you will find that it's a recommendation from the Scottish Government rather than a way to hike the prices.  It's to protect cleaning staff or similar as most property owners live miles away from the property and use locals to do the service changeover.  We've already been on four self catering breaks and they all had the same instructions, two referred to "In line with Scottish Government guidelines".  If you were a regular self catering user (OOH Matron) you would have realised they haven't used Covid as an excuse. They've just put up the prices because they could, and by quite a bit at that.  

[faraway saint]

20 minutes ago, rabuddies said:

Faraway, I think you will find that it's a recommendation from the Scottish Government rather than a way to hike the prices.  It's to protect cleaning staff or similar as most property owners live miles away from the property and use locals to do the service changeover.  We've already been on four self catering breaks and they all had the same instructions, two referred to "In line with Scottish Government guidelines".  If you were a regular self catering user (OOH Matron) you would have realised they haven't used Covid as an excuse. They've just put up the prices because they could, and by quite a bit at that.  

I'm not so sure it is as surely hotels would be following this "recommendation" yet we were in Edinburgh a few weeks ago and nothing like this was mentioned.

As for protecting staff, I'm sure suitable PPE would do that job. 

Aye, the prices in Scotland have always been eye watering/overpriced IMO, Dick Turpins relations the lot of them. 

[WeeBud]

14 hours ago, faraway saint said:

I'm not so sure it is as surely hotels would be following this "recommendation" yet we were in Edinburgh a few weeks ago and nothing like this was mentioned.

As for protecting staff, I'm sure suitable PPE would do that job. 

Aye, the prices in Scotland have always been eye watering/overpriced IMO, Dick Turpins relations the lot of them. 

FS

 

We let out our cottage and the "recommendation" was/is that the occupants remove their owns sheets and bag it, if I remember correctly it is then not meant to come out of the bags for 48 hours or so....it's a pain in the arse for everyone but our cottage is in a fairly small community and if we failed to comply with the recommendation we wouldn't be able to get cleaners (even worse, we'd be the talk of the steamie!!)

[rabuddies]

You probably are anyway.  Do they still burn virgins ina wicker basket?   🧙‍♀️🧹

[faraway saint]

3 hours ago, WeeBud said:

FS

 

We let out our cottage and the "recommendation" was/is that the occupants remove their owns sheets and bag it, if I remember correctly it is then not meant to come out of the bags for 48 hours or so....it's a pain in the arse for everyone but our cottage is in a fairly small community and if we failed to comply with the recommendation we wouldn't be able to get cleaners (even worse, we'd be the talk of the steamie!!)

Flippin recommendations, it's all the council's fault. 

Anyhow, it'll not spoil my holiday.....it's not even my department. 😆

[faraway saint]

On 8/1/2021 at 8:38 PM, faraway saint said:

Last week we were on a wee break and the owners of the cottage left specific instructions, due to covid, we were to strip the beds and places everything in bags provided.

Having a laugh.

This week we're off on a similar break but these clowns are even worse.

Firstly, not covid related but worth a mention, they only provide ONE toilet roll, yet charge eye watering prices, for a 5 day/4 night break.

Similar to last we we've to remove the bed sheets etc, but, get this, if we don't they charge us £20.

No fecking £20 reduction for DOING their job.

This has been on the cards since last year, USING covid unnecessarily, never mind the hiking up on prices.

Until I arrived I wasn't sure THIS could be true, it is!

This swill be mentioned in my review, I've a good mind to use the bedsheets. 

PS We did bring extra supplies. 

[faraway saint]

On 8/1/2021 at 9:39 PM, rabuddies said:

Faraway, I think you will find that it's a recommendation from the Scottish Government rather than a way to hike the prices.  It's to protect cleaning staff or similar as most property owners live miles away from the property and use locals to do the service changeover.  We've already been on four self catering breaks and they all had the same instructions, two referred to "In line with Scottish Government guidelines".  If you were a regular self catering user (OOH Matron) you would have realised they haven't used Covid as an excuse. They've just put up the prices because they could, and by quite a bit at that.  

On the prices issue, we just looked at a wee sail around Loch Tay, small boat, would be nice to see the scenery FROM the loch.

£40 an adult!

So, you're a young family, 2 children (£25 a child) that's a staggering £130 for 90 mins.

Rip the arse out of tourists, our national shame. 

[FTOF]

On 8/2/2021 at 3:40 PM, faraway saint said:

Flippin recommendations, it's all the council's fault. 

Anyhow, it'll not spoil my holiday.....it's not even my department. 😆

We're off to a hotel in the Highlands for a couple of nights.

They are following Covid level 2 measures. No mention of a £20 charge yet!

Please rest assured that we are taking every step to provide a safe
environment for our guests & staff. With this in mind we would ask you
to note three important changes.
Firstly, check in time is 3:00pm and check out is at 10:30am to enable
deeper cleaning of the hotel & rooms.
Whilst Scotland is subject to Covid Level 0 rules we, as the
Hotel, will still be operating to Covid level 2 rules. Consequently, we
will continue to call last orders at the bar at 9:45 pm so that the
lounge bar and other public areas can be vacated by 10:30 pm each
night.
Finally, for those guests staying for more than one night, we are
unable to allow housekeeping staff to enter the rooms during your stay.
Fresh towels etc will be provided upon request .
Please note it is still mandatory that face coverings be worn whilst
moving around the public areas (corridors etc) of the hotel.

[faraway saint]

2 minutes ago, FTOF said:

We're off to a hotel in the Highlands for a couple of nights.

They are following Covid level 2 measures. No mention of a £20 charge yet!

Please rest assured that we are taking every step to provide a safe
environment for our guests & staff. With this in mind we would ask you
to note three important changes.
Firstly, check in time is 3:00pm and check out is at 10:30am to enable
deeper cleaning of the hotel & rooms.
Whilst Scotland is subject to Covid Level 0 rules we, as the
Hotel, will still be operating to Covid level 2 rules. Consequently, we
will continue to call last orders at the bar at 9:45 pm so that the
lounge bar and other public areas can be vacated by 10:30 pm each
night.
Finally, for those guests staying for more than one night, we are
unable to allow housekeeping staff to enter the rooms during your stay.
Fresh towels etc will be provided upon request .
Please note it is still mandatory that face coverings be worn whilst
moving around the public areas (corridors etc) of the hotel.

The last orders thing is strange? 

As we all know throughout this there's been so many bonkers decisions I'm almost beyond caring 

There's got to be a time soon that there's no more rules, recommendations or restrictions for people and businesses to hide behind. 

Enjoy the break. 👍

[FTOF]

3 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

The last orders thing is strange? 

As we all know throughout this there's been so many bonkers decisions I'm almost beyond caring 

There's got to be a time soon that there's no more rules, recommendations or restrictions for people and businesses to hide behind. 

Enjoy the break. 👍

Will just need to start earlier or drink faster.

Got to drive the next day, so probably a good thing it closes earlier.

[Cookie Monster]

The last orders thing is strange? 
As we all know throughout this there's been so many bonkers decisions I'm almost beyond caring 
There's got to be a time soon that there's no more rules, recommendations or restrictions for people and businesses to hide behind. 
Enjoy the break. [emoji106]

24hr drinking. [emoji106]

[antrin]

9 hours ago, FTOF said:

Will just need to start earlier or drink faster.

Got to drive the next day, so probably a good thing it closes earlier.

I’d guess a hotel in the Highlands. Would have struggled to survive through this.

They may have let staff go, be short-staffed and need to spread their efforts wisely through the days… and try to sleep at nights.

 

long tough days being a hotelier.

[faraway saint]

So, as this clusterfcuk comes to an end these are the countries that are currently on the "green" list.

Not sure I'll get abroad this year, better wait till next year, more choice. 

• Anguilla and Montserrat
• Antarctica
• Antigua
• Australia
• Austria
• Barbados
• Barbuda
• Bermuda
• British Antarctic Territory
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Cayman Islands
• Croatia
• Dominica
• Falkland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• Germany
• Gibraltar
• Grenada
• Hong Kong
• Iceland
• Israel and Jerusalem
• Latvia
• Madeira
• Malta
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
• Romania
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
• St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
• Taiwan
• Turks and Caicos Islands

[FTOF]

On 8/4/2021 at 7:13 AM, antrin said:

I’d guess a hotel in the Highlands. Would have struggled to survive through this.

They may have let staff go, be short-staffed and need to spread their efforts wisely through the days… and try to sleep at nights.

 

long tough days being a hotelier.

Back from the Highlands. A lot drier where I was than it was down here by the sounds of it.

Apparently getting staff is a huge problem. Everywhere is struggling. the hotel that I stayed in paid their staff full wages through lockdown. All the staff have continued to work, but the person I spoke to is contracted normally for 22 hours per week, but is currently working 45 hours.

Big problem, apart from Covid, is no EU nationals to work in hotels.

Level 2 restrictions in place, to reduce chances of staff getting Covid or any track and trace event. Hotel would probably be in danger of closing if either of these scenarios unfolded. Even with restrictions all but going tomorrow, the hotelier doesn't plan to change much, other than to scrap the one way system in the bogs and put bottles of condiments on tables.

The good news is that they are booked solid for overnight stays and evening meals. If you're up that way, it's very unlikely, if you haven't booked ahead for evening meals, that you'll get a walk in. They turned away 30 people on Friday evening. The other Hotel in the village isn't taking any more evening meal bookings until next Friday, as they are booked solid too.

 

[faraway saint]

Schools go back up here today, fingers crossed there's no outbreaks or over reaction from the schools.

IMO we need to accept there will be some cases and as the chances of people getting really sick, or worse, is very low, we should carry on.