How was the "new normal" pub/cafe experience for you?

[Howardh]

Don't know about you but I don't know of anyone who watches those briefings anymore!

I never know when they are on now!

 

[Jamesrob637]

We had a sobering moment walking between the backstreet pub and the restaurant last night. This grand realisation of just how screwed the country will be if people stay at home. Our high street, usually busy well into the evening, absolutely deserted. It felt like a small US town..nearly all the shops closed, about a quarter of them permanently shuttered. None of the high street pubs open other than Wetherspoons. Just a few Deliveroo and Uber Eats folk waiting to whisk deliveries to people camped indoors.

Don't know about you but I don't know of anyone who watches those briefings anymore!

I would watch the briefing if it were weekly on a Tuesday at 5pm and I was in. However, now that going out is easier, I wouldn't make a point of specifically being in to watch it!

 

[Pakenhamtrain]

Well all our pubs have gone back to take away only. We have gone back to stage 3 restrictions.

 

[geoffk]

This is the Wetherspoons flyer I picked up in Doncaster. You're advised to fill it in and drop it off in a box by the exit as you leave but there's no one insisting that you do so. To me this seems a much better arrangement than most as it specifies what time you were actually in the pub so you won't be contacted if someone carrying the virus came into the pub several hours after you left!.

You could always fill it in as "D. Cummings,c/o Specsavers, Barnard Castle". Sorry you already did that.

 

[kermit]

Went to our local, which had covered part of the car park with wooden picnic benches. Staff great, jolly, a bit nervous, but all good. Wetherspoons will never again get my custom after the appalling way they treated their staff at the beginning of lock down.

 

[geoffk]

Went to the pub with two friends, last Tuesday evening. We were the only customers at that time. No problem paying in cash, although I had a card in case it was required. The landlady explained all the regulations she had been sent and showed us how she was deterring customers standing at the bar. Not really very different from our previous visit in March.

 

[talldave]

This is the effect of three months of fear mongering by BJ and Whitty, mandating masks on public transport (reminds people of danger constantly), endlessly saying people need to social distance and avoid everyone else or they'll die, and announcing daily deaths (often 100+), which is more than enough to make a good proportion of society not feel safe or comfortable going out....

It's become patently obvious during this drama that coronaphobes aren't aware that people die every day - about 1700 of them actually. Perhaps if we filled the news with boring stats about what killed all those, there might be less obsession with "the cough" as my other half refers to it.

I tweeted about my positive Harvester experience the other day and was immediately criticised by a coronaphobe for venturing out in the midst of "a deadly pandemic" despite the fact that I came into close contact with less people at Harvester than during a regular Sainsbury's trip. Of course when I challenge them on that they go quiet.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Last year I had good lunches in Berwick at Foxtons (Hide Hill) and the Queens Head (Sandgate).

or Morrison's. Quick service and good value. Might be little more pricey now and less choice but at least they've opened their English cafes for eat in now , Leicester excepted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Went to the pub with two friends, last Tuesday evening. We were the only customers at that time. No problem paying in cash, although I had a card in case it was required. The landlady explained all the regulations she had been sent and showed us how she was deterring customers standing at the bar. Not really very different from our previous visit in March.

I wonder if people will actually grow to like European style service (i.e. table service) instead of struggling to squash in and attract attention at the bar? It certainly has an edge of civility.

(I know there's a virtual queue and a good landlord will see that, a bit like the way the queue exists in a barber shop but people don't sit in the order of it, they just know who was there before them and who wasn't - but many landlords aren't that good at it!)

 

[yorksrob]

I wonder if people will actually grow to like European style service (i.e. table service) instead of struggling to squash in and attract attention at the bar? It certainly has an edge of civility.

(I know there's a virtual queue and a good landlord will see that, a bit like the way the queue exists in a barber shop but people don't sit in the order of it, they just know who was there before them and who wasn't - but many landlords aren't that good at it!)

It's nice to see what's on at the pumps though !

 

[Busaholic]

I knew it has been made clear that visitors are NOT WELCOME in Cornwall, but didn't realise that also extended to visitors from other parts of Cornwall .

There's a suspicion that some towns are vying with others in Cornwall to come top of the 'how to make sure that no-one with a sense of proportion or iota of commonsense would ever choose to come here again' league. Now Visit Cornwall is making it clear that cafe and restaurant customers should not expect lower prices from the temporary VAT cuts, they're only there for the benefit of the business owners! This is the official body for encouraging visitors to Cornwall!

 

[SuspectUsual]

It's nice to see what's on at the pumps though !

My old local had 20 different beers on at a time, and always had “beer menus” with tasting notes on all the tables, so no reason why this wouldn’t work with app or table ordering

EDIT - although once they did describe a cider that was 8.8% as “an easy drinking session cider”. As my mate Pete said, “bloody short session”

 

[yorksrob]

I did my first pure leisure trip today (no guidance, no nothing) to Sheffield to sample the newly re-opened Sheffield Tap. I was not dissappointed - lovely beer as always and very attentive table service. Sat in the tiled room watching the trains go by !

My old local had 20 different beers on at a time, and always had “beer menus” with tasting notes on all the tables, so no reason why this wouldn’t work with app or table ordering

True-a simple disposable paper menu would work !

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder that this thread is for the posting off experiences; I have deleted some off topic posts.

 

[yorkie]

My experience yesterday was good. The pub was quiet; we were asked if one person could send a text message with details of attendees. The staff were really friendly and keen to serve us, providing excellent service. There was a good choice of indoors, outdoors and semi-outdoors areas. The pub was dog friendly. If I lived near Aylesbury I wouldn't hesitate to go back there! Table service was offered, and the bill was payable at the end.

At lunchtime today we went to a pub in Newport Pagnall and ordered drinks only. We sat outside and it was a lovely day. It was absolutely fine except it took a while for the drinks - which had been ordered through the app - to arrive. It was alternatively possible to order at the bar but in all cases drinks were brought to you.

And this evening we went to a pub in Milton Keynes which had a choice of indoors and outdoors areas. Again we sat outdoors. This was table service only and they took payment at the time of ordering. The drinks and food arrived pretty quickly. Again the staff were really good, keen to service us and very friendly. They had a one way system in place for anyone who did need to go into the pub (e.g to access toilets). Contact details were not taken, which was the right decision as there was no real need to do so given we were outdoors not particularly near anyone else.

These experiences have only made me want to visit pubs even more, and support this struggling industry. The staff are all really keen to be working and I feel that people like myself, a key worker who has been very fortunate to have continued to be able to work, owe it to them.

I'll be visiting a pub in York on Tuesday with some other forum members; if anyone reading this wishes to join us, please do get in touch.

 

[Mag_seven]

Had my first pint in a pub since they reopened today. It was a bit of a dive but it was the only one close to where I needed to be and I was only in it for about 30mins. My contact details were taken at the door and my temperature was taken. The bar had plastic screens round it and the arrangements for the toilets were a bit odd in that there was nothing to dry your hands with! Apart from that everything was as normal as it could be.

 

[Cowley]

Apart from that everything was as normal as it could be.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

It was great. Experience was no different to pre-Coronavirus, apart from social distancing of tables and the need for us to provide contact details to the pub. I believe this in case someone on that day tested positive for the virus, they can then tell people who came into contact with person to self-isolate for 14 days.

 

[Bantamzen]

My wife and I went for our first proper meal out last night to one of the local gastro-pubs. And all in all in was a very pleasant experience. Despite the booking confirmation email pushing the company's mobile app for pre-ordering, most people & the staff were quite happy using the printed menus for ordering, which in all honesty I prefer as I like to choose when I am ready to order. All the staff were wearing masks, which I felt was a little unnecessary as the spacing between tables was very generous, often way over 2 metres, although clearly the staff were not entirely happy wearing them as the evening wore on with many slowly but surely slipping down their faces. But all this notwithstanding it actually felt like a little bit of the pre-pandemic days, our fellow diners were in good spirits and very relaxed although it was very noticeable that the mix was of younger folk in their early 20s or so, and older people in their 50s or upwards. There was a distinct lack of people in the middle bracket, which kind of reflects what I see on social media with the people most likely to be fretting about the virus being in the 30-40s bracket.

 

[Scrotnig]

It was great. Experience was no different to pre-Coronavirus, apart from social distancing of tables and the need for us to provide contact details to the pub. I believe this in case someone on that day tested positive for the virus, they can then tell people who came into contact with person to self-isolate for 14 days.

This is part of what puts some people off though.

The threat of a 14 day prison sentence, and no income, as punishment for daring to go out.

Many will think that's too great a risk and will eat at home.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is part of what puts some people off though.

The threat of a 14 day prison sentence, and no income, as punishment for daring to go out.

Many will think that's too great a risk and will eat at home.

It wouldn't affect my income as I'm already a permanent home worker. But yes, it's certainly something that's influencing my actions far more than the risk of actually getting it.

 

[yorksrob]

Went to my local cafe for breakfast today.

Older chap comes in and sits straight opposite me saying he didn't want to use one of the big tables. I thought to myself "You've not quite got the hang of this social distancing thing yet have you".

 

[Bletchleyite]

Went to my local cafe for breakfast today.

Older chap comes in and sits straight opposite me saying he didn't want to use one of the big tables. I thought to myself "You've not quite got the hang of this social distancing thing yet have you".

Maybe Yorkshire is different, but I'd consider sitting opposite someone in a cafe or restaurant the height of bad manners unless there was no other table available, and even if you did have to do it you'd do it very apologetically indeed - "Do you mind if I sit there please, I'm sorry but there are no other tables available", say.

Interestingly, trains seem different in that regard, though I dislike it if someone sits opposite me if the diagonally opposite seat is available as that reduces my legroom. If someone does that I'll usually move over so we are diagonally opposite.

 

[yorksrob]

Maybe Yorkshire is different, but I'd consider sitting opposite someone in a cafe or restaurant the height of bad manners unless there was no other table available, and even if you did have to do it you'd do it very apologetically indeed - "Do you mind if I sit there please, I'm sorry but there are no other tables available", say.

Interestingly, trains seem different in that regard, though I dislike it if someone sits opposite me if the diagonally opposite seat is available as that reduces my legroom. If someone does that I'll usually move over so we are diagonally opposite.

Yes, I must admit I've never been keen on strangers sitting opposite when eating. The stilted conversation, awkward silences, the sound of other people chewing and worst of all, the smell of mushrooms (yuk).

 

[Huntergreed]

Yes, I must admit I've never been keen on strangers sitting opposite when eating. The stilted conversation, awkward silences, the sound of other people chewing and worst of all

Agreed, I've never once seen it in Scotland and I don't think it's considered socially acceptable unless you know the patron who is already sitting down,

The smell of mushrooms (yuk).

An unpopular opinion that I very much share, never understood how people enjoy the things

 

[yorksrob]

Agreed, I've never once seen it in Scotland and I don't think it's considered socially acceptable unless you know the patron who is already sitting down,



An unpopular opinion that I very much share, never understood how people enjoy the things

I've never quite understood how humanity managed to mistake fungus for something edible

 

[Busaholic]

Yes, I must admit I've never been keen on strangers sitting opposite when eating. The stilted conversation, awkward silences, the sound of other people chewing and worst of all, the smell of mushrooms (yuk).

Only ever had breakfast on a train once - totally ruined for me by the lady who came to sit opposite me (who was fragrant in every other regard!) ordering smoked haddock, the smell of which makes me want to retch.

 

[185143]

I'm in 'Spoons now.

Was greeted at the door and told to sit where I liked as it's not busy. Asked if I'd been in before since they reopened, said that I had though not this pub. Was told nothing was different and asked to use sanitizer and take a menu if I wanted one. Test and trace forms were visible, but I wasn't offered one.

 

[yorksrob]

Only ever had breakfast on a train once - totally ruined for me by the lady who came to sit opposite me (who was fragrant in every other regard!) ordering smoked haddock, the smell of which makes me want to retch.

Alas I've never managed breakfast on the train. Had some great meals on EMT services, but fortunately always on my own table

 

[route101]

Yes, I must admit I've never been keen on strangers sitting opposite when eating. The stilted conversation, awkward silences, the sound of other people chewing and worst of all, the smell of mushrooms (yuk).

Always try and get single seat if going First Class , never fancied the thought of someone opposite.