Monday, March 23rd, 2020
My guest is having breakfast before heading back home to the Midlands. In the four days that she has been here the world, or our perception of it from these islands, has totally changed. When she arrived on Thursday pubs, restaurants and cafés were still open, if sparsely attended. By last night it was takeaway services only; no lingering or chatting, and a strict rule about maintaining a six-foot gap between you and the next person. Today, gorgeous spring sunshine after our long wet winter threatens to bring packed crowds of bored people out into public spaces for a second day running, and home confinement threatens as the inevitable outcome. My cleaners told me yesterday that they could no longer continue. I have no option but to close my doors. The beautiful rhododendron season will pass by unappreciated, though I may post some photos on our Facebook page. My next post here should, in theory, be to announce the date of Bressenden’s re-opening — if I survive. It’s anybody’s guess when that date might be, but I hope it will be safe to start up again in August.