Covid 19 Update – New Law & Guidance – Can I go on holiday? Can I stay in my second home?
in Mill Meadow Updates
HMGov has issued new guidance which will become law on 14.9.20.
Guests must please ensure they comply fully with the following BEFORE booking and/or travelling to Mill Meadow as any breach of the new law will result in guests being declined access to Mill Meadow and/or being asked to leave in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.
We will continue to work to support guests who are unable to travel to us to fulfil their booking.
This will normally be by booking for new dates and working to rebook the existing dates in line with our Terms & Conditions.
We will however look at each case individually and be as sympathetic as we can.
Chris Heayns
General Manager
10.9.20
Some Question & Answers:
- We booked to come with another family can we stay?
Yes you can but it is our understanding that you can no longer holiday together in overnight accommodation with another family or household if the total number exceeds 6.
We appreciate this may introduce financial concerns and it may be we are able to offer a discount to reflect the lower occupancy on our larger lodges.
- There are more than 6 in our group can we stay?
Yes you may still be able to stay in your accommodation if you are all within the same household or support bubble.
- We are more than 6 and are from more than one household or support bubble and we really want to holiday together what can we do?
We can look to see if we can move your bookings into smaller lodges so for example rather than have one 10 person lodge we might be able to move you to two 6 person lodges. There may be an additional cost to do this but we will be as sympathetic as we can be.
If we cannot do this then the sad reality is some of your guests may not be able to join you.
If you wish to postpone your holiday we will work with you to find new dates and rebook you in line with our Terms & Conditions to mitigate any financial loss.
- It’s not our fault the government has changed the law so why should our plans be disrupted.
We fully understand and feel equally frustrated having worked so hard to open as a Covid Secure & Compliant destination, and start to take bookings from two household guests.
However we fully recognise the need to control this virus or risk deaths and further more widespread closures/lockdowns.
It may well be that your holiday cannot go-ahead exactly as you had hoped but if you can accept some changes we may well be able to to welcome you to Mill Meadow for a well earned and deserved break from this new and challenging everyday life we are living.
We want you to have your holiday if at all possible so please work with us to try and make it happen!
Thank you for your understanding.
Updates:
10.55am 10.9.20
11.09am 10.9.20
PM Boris Johnsons Statement 9.9.20
“So in England, from Monday (14th September 2020), we are introducing the rule of 6. You must not meet socially in groups of more than 6 – and if you do, you will be breaking the law.
This will apply in any setting, indoors or outdoors, at home or in the pub.
The ban will be set out in law and it will be enforced by the police – anyone breaking the rules risks being dispersed, fined and possibly arrested.
This single measure replaces both the existing ban on gatherings of more than 30 and the current guidance on allowing 2 households to meet indoors. Now you only need to remember the rule of 6.
There will be some limited exemptions. For example, if a single household or support bubble is larger than 6, they can still gather.”
The following extract is taken from,
Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do
Updated 9 September 2020
This is guidance that applies to England only. If you live in an area where local restrictions are in place you should also consult the local restrictions guidance, for information about what you can and can’t do to manage the outbreak.
It is critical that everybody observes the following key behaviours:
- HANDS – Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds.
- FACE – Wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
- SPACE – Stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors).
- Social distancing
To reduce the risk of catching or spreading coronavirus, try to keep at least 2 metres away from people you do not live with. Social distancing is essential to stop the spread of the virus, as it is more likely to spread when people are close together. An infected person can pass on the virus even if they do not have any symptoms, through talking, breathing, coughing or sneezing.
When with people you do not live with, you should also avoid: physical contact; being close and face-to-face; and shouting or singing close to them. You should also avoid crowded areas with lots of people; and touching things that other people have touched.
Where you cannot stay 2 metres apart you should stay more than 1 metre apart, as well as taking extra steps to stay safe. For example:
- wear a face covering: on public transport and in many indoor spaces, you must wear a face covering by law, unless you are exempt
- move outdoors, where it is safer and there is more space
- if indoors, make sure rooms are well ventilated by keeping windows and doors open
You do not need to socially distance from anyone in your household, meaning the people you live with. You also do not need to socially distance from someone you’re in an established relationship with, or anyone in your legally-permitted support bubble if you are in one. It may not always be possible or practicable to maintain social distancing when providing care to a young child, or person with a disability or health condition. You should still limit close contact as much as possible when providing these types of care, and take other precautions such as washing hands and opening windows for ventilation.
3.3 Can I go on holiday? Can I stay in my second home?
Yes.
However, you should not go on holiday in England with people you do not live with (or who are not in your support bubble) in a group larger than 6 people from 14 September, when a new legal gathering limit comes into force. Doing so will be against the law. You should ensure you maintain social distancing with anyone you do not live with or is not in your support bubble.
If you are in a support bubble, or if the group consists solely of people you live with, you can stay overnight without needing to maintain social distancing. People in the same support bubble can also gather together indoors even if the group size is more than 6.
Take particular care to maintain excellent hygiene – washing hands and surfaces – and avoid using shared facilities like bathrooms wherever possible.
The following applies to the common areas and lake at Mill Meadow:
The risk of the coronavirus being passed on to others outdoors is considered to be low as long as people maintain social distancing.
You can meet in groups of up to 6 people from different households, outdoors.
This national guidance applies to England. Check if there are local restrictions in your area.
When using outdoor spaces, you should follow the rules in:
Do not travel to different parts of the UK if the rules in that country do not allow you to.
You must follow social distancing guidelines when spending time outdoors
When accessing green spaces, walk or cycle if you can. Where this is not possible, use public transport or drive.
If using public transport, you must wear a face covering, unless you have a exemption because of your age, health or another condition. Read guidance on making and wearing a face covering. You should consider that wearing a face covering may inhibit communication with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound.
You can travel any distance to get to the countryside.
Before travelling, you should check if facilities, such as car parks and toilets, are open to visitors. Do not park on verges or block gates. This restricts access for other vehicles.
You can stay overnight away from your home with your own household or support bubble, or with members of one other household.
Campsites and caravan sites may open, but some facilities may be closed. You should seek permission from the landowner before camping on other land.
To stay safe, you should:
- take hygiene precautions when you are outside
- wash your hands as soon as you are back indoors
- keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household or support bubble where possible, or at least one metre with precautions such as wearing a face mask
- take hand sanitiser with you in case there are no handwashing facilities
If you own or manage land
You should read:
- Working safely during COVID-19 in construction and other outdoor work.
- Safer Public Places during Coronavirus.
You may need to take a different approach if you’re managing land in the countryside.
You should clean gates and stiles, if possible.
You can display signs at access points to remind the public to take hygiene precautions and wash hands regularly.
You should consider tying gates open if it is safe to do so, so that walkers do not need to touch the gate.
You do not have the legal right to block or obstruct public rights of way or open access land. However,where large numbers of people are using such routes, you may:
- temporarily display notices to encourage the public to use alternative routes that do not pass through gardens, farmyards or schools
- offer an alternative route around gardens and farmyards where it’s safe to do so – you must gain permission from relevant landowners and make sure the route is safe for users and livestock, and you must maintain the original right of way
- put up signs warning people where footpaths are narrow and it is difficult to follow social distancing guidelines
Source https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-on-accessing-green-spaces-safely
Thanks for visiting!