Rubicund

Boris Johnson has announced the route map for lifting lockdown in England over the coming months:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56158405

StuDudley

I have a few questions about the new plan above. We are planning a visit to Scotland in mid May (12th) - flying into Edinburgh from the US. We had hotel reservations in Scotland for last May, which we rescheduled for this upcoming May when the virus closed everything last year. The UK/Scotland latest reopen plan (above) would open hotels mid-way through our trip.

Questions
1. In the plan above, they mention "indoor hospitality". Is this indoor restaurants?

2. There is no mention in the above plan of entry restrictions - quarantine, Covid tests within 72 hours, etc. On Feb 15, Scotland imposed a "managed quarantine" for everyone entering Scotland. Is there any plan to lift the quarantine, or will it be lifted on June 21? (see above).

I plan to reschedule this upcoming trip - just like I did last year (too many "problems"). I would like, however, to provide the hotel with "informed" reasons for doing so. I had no problems rescheduling last year.

Stu Dudley

Tulips

Current restrictions for foreign travel will stay until May 17 at least.
See this Evening Standard article;
https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/...&itm_content=1

Scotland may have other rules, but I doubt it.

StuDudley

""Scotland may have other rules, but I doubt it.""

From www.gov.scot

Feb 14, 2021 — Everyone who arrives directly in Scotland by air from outside the CTA must: provide a Coronavirus (COVID-19) test and get a negative result during the 3 days before you travel. before departure book and pay for managed isolation in a quarantine hotel for at least 10 days from arrival.

I think only "red list" people need to quarantine in a hotel if arriving in other UK countries. Non red list travelers need to self quarantine.

Stu Dudley

janisj

Scotland has their own rules from the rest of GB. But in any case SAGE (the Scientific Group for Emergencies) advice is in constant flux. I personally think mid-May is much too early to be planning visiting from he States. I have a trip booked for early July and realistically I'll be VERY surprised if I don't have to cancel.

British residents are (provisionally) being allowed to book staycations in the country but it isn't even certain that English residents will be allowed or welcomed in Scotland. If I were you, I probably wouldn't get my hopes up until maybe mid-to late April to see if the positive trends continue and things open up sooner.

StuDudley

janisj. I don't have any air reservations, and in December I gave this trip about a 5% chance of happening. I just need some ammunition in case any hotel balks at my request to reschedule my visit for next year - and move any "deposits" towards next year's trip. I don't think Scotland would be much fun this year.

Stu Dudley

janisj

I honestly don't think you need any 'ammunition'. (Unless they are real twits ) If you have a deposit in place they will likely be MORE than willing to let it ride til some future date. Since local (British residents) in-country bookings for late Spring/Summer have sky rocketed in the last few days since these new announcements they likely will have no problem filling your emptied room. They will have the use of your ££ until you can finally visit.

StuDudley

Two of my hotels are reserved for May 12 to May 16 - so they won't have any guests until the lockdown ends May 17. But I had absolutely no problems rescheduling last year.

Stu Dudley

Heimdall

Yes, Scotland has its own rules. This BBC comparison between the English and Scottish routes out of the lockdown may be helpful.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla...itics-56181744

StuDudley

From Heimdall's link:

""In Scotland, bars and restaurants will be able to reopen from 26 April.Ms Sturgeon said tourist accommodation and hotels should plan to reopen from that date, and that more information about the exact sequencing would be made available in March.""
""in England.....
Hotels, hostels and B&Bs are expected to reopen from 17 May, which is also the earliest date that international leisure travel could resume.""

It seems that I could check into a Scotland hotel starting 26 April. My flight from San Francisco departs May 10. If this 26 April date doesn't slip - I am OK. If it slips more than 2 weeks later - I have a problem. What about the "international leisure travel could consume" starting 17 May?? What if I fly into LHR on May 11??? Do I have a problem???

Two of my hotels need a 1 month notice if I want my deposit refunded.

This is more uncertainty than I want.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the hairdresser group has been shut down & reopened three times.

Thoughts anyone?????

Stu Dudley

janisj

No one has any idea really. Different parts of the UK have locked down, opened up, locked down again, rules tightened/loosened over an over again for the last year. Plus the competition/animosity/feud between Johnson and Sturgeon is always in play. NOTHING would surprise me.

Rubicund

Stu Dudley: Regardless of whether the 26th April date does move, a number of medical professionals here in the UK that I know have said that that date is too early, as indeed the 17th May may also be too early. I'm not sure that I'd be booking and paying for anything with a non refundable element to it in these uncertain times, especially as when things do start to open up, some professionals expect that a third wave may well sneak up on us. The UK government is banking on the vaccine having a significant effect by the above dates, but who knows?

We want to visit Mallorca this year, but can't see that we will before at least September.

Heimdall

In my view (take it for what it’s worth, which may not be very much), the earlier Britain and its individual countries begin to relax restrictions the more likely a third wave will occur. As someone who lives in England I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen, but want things to get back to near normal as soon as possible.

That’s why the government is proceeding with caution, waiting to see the effects of each step before proceeding to the next. The link I provided in post #9 doesn’t include the key words “not before” in steps 2, 3 and 4. That allows some wiggle room in case infection rates begin to get out of control.

Here is a gov.uk page on the English roadmap with the words “not before” included:
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...g-2021-summary

StuDudley

Rubicund. I actually made the reservations in December 2018 for travel in May 2020 (I had specific castle/hotels I wanted to stay in). Deposits were made then for a few of them. Last year when I cancelled/rescheduled, they had no problems with rescheduling and applying the deposits to travel in 2021. But last year, the hotels were closed in May. This year, they may be open. The first 1-2 might be closed and the latter 2-3 might be open.

Stu Dudley

Rubicund

Stu, we've all got our fingers (and anything else) crossed! Try and leave it as late as you can while keeping an eye on the COVID situation. I will be for Mallorca.

bilboburgler

I will either be in Orkney/Cornwall or cycling around the Rotterdam area or drinking wine in Alsace. However, the Dutch seem to have decided not to vaccinate and the French....... need I say more.

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