Steven Broomfield Posted 15 July , 2020 Share Posted 15 July , 2020 Question: a chum and I are perusing a visit to Ieper, probably mid- to late-September. We know the B&B of choice is OK, but is the rest of the place open - by which I mean bars and restaurants? I have tried searching the Forum but my usual technological incompetence hampers me. Any thoughts welcome ... basically, is it worth visiting in the current 'health crisis'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 15 July , 2020 Share Posted 15 July , 2020 (edited) I would say that all bars, restaurants, museums, cemeteries etc are open, although there may be limitations (bars etc close at 1am at the latest, you may have to book in advance to visit a museum, ...). Wearing of a mouth mask is recommended in some cases and obligatory in a lot more (museums, shops, ...). Infections are on the rise again in Belgium, so I don't know how the situation wil evolve by September. However, after today's security council of the governments it is said that if there would be a lockdown again, this would be local to deal with local outbreaks. However, tracing and identifying positive cases is in this country still very difficult as the tracing system seems to be totally inefficient. Let's hope they get that up and working. My personal feeling about the whole virus is that we will have to deal on our own (meaning no vaccine) with it for quite some time still, so we will have to learn to live with it. I can be wrong of course. Edited 15 July , 2020 by AOK4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 15 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 15 July , 2020 3 hours ago, AOK4 said: I would say that all bars, restaurants, museums, cemeteries etc are open, although there may be limitations (bars etc close at 1am at the latest, you may have to book in advance to visit a museum, ...). Thanks. We weren't anticipating visiting any museums and I have to say it's many a long year since I was still in a bar at 1.00 a.m.! I think we'll give it a few weeks and take a view then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mills-bomb Posted 16 July , 2020 Share Posted 16 July , 2020 On 15/07/2020 at 15:18, Steven Broomfield said: Question: a chum and I are perusing a visit to Ieper, probably mid- to late-September. We know the B&B of choice is OK, but is the rest of the place open - by which I mean bars and restaurants? I blooming well hope so! Just booked the last week in September, dont get me started on cost of Eurotunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper D. Posted 17 July , 2020 Share Posted 17 July , 2020 We've booked a week in the Saliant early September. We're actually staying in Ieper, for the first time ever. Our country, like most nations in the EU, seem to be struggling with what is wise and nobody seems 100% certain which is the right choise to make. As we've seen most of the museums in and around there, we shall walk & bicycle a lot. The only way to visit the battlefields, imho. That gives us many a head-start: we're out in the open, no problems with the 1.5 - 2 metre rule, loads of wind to blow away nasty ol' Mr. Covid, there's only the 2 of us and we're both relatively fit. Also, as we're staying in a self-catering house & don't intend to prop-up a bar after 21:00 hrs, we won't bump into the idiots who seem never to have heard of Covid-19. We'll pop over to the Menin Gate at 19:45 hrs, but if it's too busy we'll about turn to a terrace for a pint of Glorious Belgium Beer & a dry white wine. I'm actually looking forward to this trip a little bit more than usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 17 July , 2020 Share Posted 17 July , 2020 14 minutes ago, Sapper D. said: We'll pop over to the Menin Gate at 19:45 hrs, but if it's too busy we'll about turn to a terrace for a pint of Glorious Belgium Beer & a dry white wine. Now that sounds like a plan !!! I'll be in Ypres in August, around the 21 - 22nd. I'll keep you all informed on the situation there when I've seen it. M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 17 July , 2020 Share Posted 17 July , 2020 An update: corona infections in the area are on the ris (among the communes affected are Zonnebeke and Moorslede). For the moment, this hasn't changed anything yet, but local measures may be taken in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 17 July , 2020 Share Posted 17 July , 2020 59 minutes ago, Sapper D. said: We'll pop over to the Menin Gate at 19:45 hrs That may be too late. They are restricting numbers to, I believe, 150, and allowing people in from 1930. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapper D. Posted 17 July , 2020 Share Posted 17 July , 2020 sassenach and Marilyne : Ta! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canny Steve Posted 20 July , 2020 Share Posted 20 July , 2020 To anyone who has recently visited, do you know if Patrick's bookshop is open? Due to go over in a couple of weeks and would like to make a stop there to see what new stock he has and have a beer or three! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 20 July , 2020 Share Posted 20 July , 2020 1 minute ago, Canny Steve said: To anyone who has recently visited, do you know if Patrick's bookshop is open? Due to go over in a couple of weeks and would like to make a stop there to see what new stock he has and have a beer or three! I thought I heard that it has stopped completely some time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canny Steve Posted 20 July , 2020 Share Posted 20 July , 2020 1 minute ago, AOK4 said: I thought I heard that it has stopped completely some time ago. That's a shame, bought some interesting books and other trinkets there while he was open, last time I was in Ieper was March last year and it was locked up then. Was hoping we had just visited on a closed day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 20 July , 2020 Share Posted 20 July , 2020 (edited) As to the Last Post ... In today's local TV news (WTV-Focus) : attending below the arch is possible (but I think you have to reserve a place, as the number is limited). But footage showed such a crowd trying to attend from outside the arch ! (T-crossing Menin Street - Bollingstraat - Kauwekijnstraat) Social distancing appears to be impossible in practice. Measures will be taken ... Aurel P.S. Hopefully this link will work... https://www.focus-wtv.be/nieuws/veilige-afstand-probleem-bij-last-post-nu-strengere-regels Edited 21 July , 2020 by Aurel Sercu Link added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mills-bomb Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 15 hours ago, Canny Steve said: To anyone who has recently visited, do you know if Patrick's bookshop is open? Due to go over in a couple of weeks and would like to make a stop there to see what new stock he has and have a beer or three! If we are talking about the guy just along from St. Georges Chapel, then he was certainly open last October. Evenings are the best time to visit as that is when the town is busiest with 'our sorts'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 The scenes at the Menin Gate last night were truly appalling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 21 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 21 July , 2020 19 minutes ago, sassenach said: The scenes at the Menin Gate last night were truly appalling. Back to normal, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 1 hour ago, Steven Broomfield said: Back to normal, then. Yes, I fear so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 31 minutes ago, sassenach said: Yes, I fear so. See also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 I was over there last week but avoided the ceremony. Hooge Cafe and museum open but with social distancing etc. Shops in Ypres also open but cannot comment on bars as we went in to Ypres early doors. However bars and cafes open in villages etc including Zonnebeke and Passchendaele and suburbs of Ypres. Museums open also but you may have to book time slot. As for the bookshop, its gone. He retired and the bar are extending into what was his shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suesalter1 Posted 22 July , 2020 Share Posted 22 July , 2020 On 21/07/2020 at 10:09, sassenach said: The scenes at the Menin Gate last night were truly appalling. I thought they were restricting numbers to 150. Has that all gone up the pictures?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted 22 July , 2020 Share Posted 22 July , 2020 It seems that the problem was not those who had been admitted but people who congregated behind the barriers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suesalter1 Posted 22 July , 2020 Share Posted 22 July , 2020 Well, with virus cases rising in Belgium again, maybe they will have to ban all people from the Last Post ceremony as they did before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 22 July , 2020 Share Posted 22 July , 2020 I gather (from a reliable source) that everything is now open in Ieper and, indeed, they currently have no one in hospital with the virus. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 23 July , 2020 Share Posted 23 July , 2020 7 hours ago, Neil Mackenzie said: I gather (from a reliable source) that everything is now open in Ieper and, indeed, they currently have no one in hospital with the virus. Neil I wouldn't just look at the number of hospitalisations as the general number of positive tests is increasing rapidly in the wider area. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 23 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 23 July , 2020 8 hours ago, AOK4 said: I wouldn't just look at the number of hospitalisations as the general number of positive tests is increasing rapidly in the wider area. Jan Without wishing to re-open the interminable debate, one can't help wondering if that's the result of more (and quicker) testing. Anyway, we're in the planning stages: latter part of September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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