Common sense has to prevail, of course, but I'd hate to see the services go back to the days of the 70s when we never wore uniform in public.
Ha!
I joined the RAF in 1979 and during basic training at RAF Swinderby was made to wear my No1 uniform on weekend passes into Lincoln, it always caught the attention of the locals and some fights occurred. I also wore it home to London. I well remember stepping off an underground train and walking a gauntlet of around 20 Punk Rockers stood on the platform! Funnily enough, they never said a word. They just stared.. Same thing on posting to RAF Shawbury for trade training.
I never had any live rounds on Guard Duty until at RAF Wattisham in the mid 80's and again at Brize up to 1991 still with the SLR.
I knew an AATC (TA) at RAF Manston on my first posting that had served in NI on Special Operations who regularly carried a Browning 9mm in civilian clothes off base.