In defence of the grouse shooting exemption

At the tail end of last week, news emerged that no groups of more than six people were to be allowed to gather together. Certain activities were to be excluded from the so-called ‘rule of six’ — and as soon as it was announced on Monday that various rural pastimes were exempt, the press had a field day. ‘No birthday parties but you can shoot grouse’, the Times announced. The Mirror declared that ‘Toffs can go on a Boxing Day hunt — but you can’t have a Christmas Day meal’.

Of course, I understand the problem: it simply isn’t a good look. The two sports picked out by the papers — ‘hunting and grouse shooting’ — have always had a class-related image problem. And the idea that posh people are out shooting birds and hunting on horses while Joe public is stuck at home and banned from socialising with (more than five) friends or family simply doesn’t rub.