Meeting in private garden If access through house

ClaphamNewMum · Postby **ClaphamNewMum** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 7:44 am

I’m hoping someone can clarify please whether friends can visit us in our garden given they would have to access through our house? We would of course follow the rule of 6. If anyone can see a link to the info in the govt website, that would be great too please.

twomonkeys · Postby **twomonkeys** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:00 am

From the Gov.uk website

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid ... nd-friends

You may continue to see friends and family you do not live with (or have not formed a support bubble with) outside, including in a garden or other outdoor space. When you do so, you must not meet in a group of more than 6. This limit of 6 includes children of any age.

ClaphamNewMum · Postby **ClaphamNewMum** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:03 am

Thanks but can we meet in gardens if we have to access them through a house? I can’t see a clear answer to that anywhere.

twomonkeys · Postby **twomonkeys** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:21 am

I don't think the guidelines can cover every eventuality of how a visitor might reach your garden as it would be too complex. I'm no expert! but I think it's up to the individual to minimise the risk and take appropriate action to distance/wear masks etc.

Personally I'm preferring to meet friends for walks, rather than invite them to our home, as inevitably that would involve bathroom visits etc. but each to their own, there is no perfect answer I think!

muddyboots · Postby **muddyboots** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 6:57 pm

From discussions on BBC London Radio this week, I understood this as a no.
No one who is not in your support bubble should enter your home, period.
I presume your friends will need the loo at some point too?

This will all come down to how people wish to comply/interpret the rules.

coldatchristmas · Postby **coldatchristmas** » Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:25 pm

I don't think that you're wrong muddy boots but it seems to me that if the intention is to be outside but the only access is through the house which takes 10 seconds then I think it should be allowed.

I think if a guest wears a mask and doesn't touch anything on their way through then all should be safe?

Especially as we have relatively low cases in Wandsworth. The mental health cost of all of this will be huge if we can't even have a cup of coffee with a friend outside.