Visitors to UK dismayed by new quarantine rules

They should be heading to so called 'freedom day' in London.

Instead these Eurostar passengers traveling from Paris are eyeing down quarantine.

''I was very disappointed because I was hopping to see family and I haven't been to England in two year. At the same time, you know, I'm there to see people more than to going and visiting, and tourism, so I guess that's just the way it is.''

Anyone arriving from France will still have to quarantine at home or in other accommodation for five to 10 days, despite Britain having far more cases.

The UK government said it was scrapping the planned easing of coronavirus rules for travellers from France because of the presence there of the Beta variant, first identified in South Africa.

"Where I was staying, at my parents', there were 20 times less cases than in the UK. I am forced to do a 10 day quarantine while the British government lifts all the restrictions and is going for a policy of herd immunity. It's a bit of an incoherent policy and I think it is frustrating, that we are taken as scapegoats."

French authorities have said the bulk of cases of the Beta variant come from the overseas territories of La Reunion and Mayotte, rather than mainland France, where it is not widespread.

France's junior European affairs minister called the UK's decision 'excessive' in an interview on French TV Monday.

And for some tourists the restrictions are a step too far.

''I was in Germany last week, I could go where I wanted, as in France this week, I could go where I wanted. But now what? I go to England, I have to stay in a hotel for days. No, I'm not doing that."