SAFETY FIRST
Tier 3 lockdown rules: Full list of businesses that must close in very high alert areas due to new Covid restrictions
PUBS, restaurants, casinos and bingo halls are among the businesses that must close in the toughest Tier three coronavirus lockdown areas.
It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Peterborough and Surrey will be added to the "very high risk" list.
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The new restrictions will come into force from 12.01am on Saturday.
It means around 39million people will soon be in the highest level of lockdown rules, totalling more than two thirds of the population.
But some businesses in Bristol and North Somerset have been given the green light to reopen after being taken from Tier three to Tier two.
In the gloomy pre-Christmas update, Mr Hancock said: "Where we've seen the virus get under control and come out of Tier 3, it's where everyone has taken responsibility on themselves to make that happen.
"We've seen case rates fall across large parts of England, I know many places in Tier 3 have seen rates reduce.
"But in most places we are not quite there yet."
Mr Hancock acknowledged that it would be "tough" to force businesses to close just before Christmas, after a horrible year of lockdowns.
Full list of places going from Tier 2 to 3 on Saturday:
- Bedfordshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Berkshire
- Peterborough
- Hertfordshire
- Surrey - except Waverley
- Hastings and Rother
- Portsmouth
- Gosport
- Havant
Areas moving down a Tier from Saturday:
- Bristol and North Somerset come out of Tier 3 into Tier 2
- Herefordshire comes out of Tier 2 and into Tier 1
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London, Manchester, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley are already on the list of high risk areas.
Parts of Lincolnshire, Nottingham and Lancashire are also classed as very high risk Tier three regions.
Every area of England is now classified medium, high or very high risk after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his new three-tier system for tackling rising coronavirus cases.
Tier one areas - medium risk - must follow current social distancing measures, the "rule of six", and a pub curfew of 10pm.
Households in Tier two - high risk areas - have the same restrictions, plus a ban on households mixing indoors.
Tier three areas - very high risk - have all the above rules, plus they can't leave their region unless for essential reasons such as work, education or health.
Some businesses in Tier three areas will also have to close - we explain what this means below.
Lockdown measures are a devolved issue, which means Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can set their own rules to control the virus.
Will businesses in Tier three areas have to close?
Pubs and bars in Tier three regions in England will have to close.
Other businesses that must shut include casinos, bowling alleys and indoor gym classes.
Any closures will come as a blow, particularly to the pubs industry with boozers already restricted by an 11pm curfew in England.
For businesses that must shut in England, or that have been closed since the height of the coronavirus pandemic in March, the government announced grants worth £3,000 a month.
The new safety net is an increase from the previous £1,500 grant which could be claimed every three weeks.
Which areas must close in Tier three areas?
THIS is the list of businesses that must close in Tier 3 areas currently.
- Pubs and restaurants (unless operating takeaway, delivery or drive-thru)
- Casinos
- Cinemas
- Bowling alleys
- Skating rinks
- Bingo halls
- Theatres
- Soft play areas
- Museums and galleries
- Live sport venues
- Amusement arcades
- Laser quest and escape rooms
- Hotels and Airbnbs
Indoor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close. This includes indoor attractions within:
- Zoos
- Safari parks
- Wildlife reserves
- Aquariums
- Visitor attractions at farms
Which businesses will stay open in Tier three areas?
Schools, universities and colleges will also stay open in Tier three lockdown areas.
Shops will not have to shut, as the Prime Minister confirmed the retail industry will be unaffected.
What businesses can remain open in Tier 3?
THIS is the list of businesses that can stay open in Tier 3 areas currently.
- Non-essential shops
- Hairdressers
- Beauty salons
- Tattoo parlours
- Nail salons
- Spas
- Saunas and steam rooms
- Massage parlours
- Tanning salons
- Outdoor tourism and entertainment venues
- Outdoor cinemas, theatres and concert venues (but must close at 11pm other than for the purposes of concluding a performance which began before 10pm)
- Outdoor funfairs
- Leisure and sports facilities (but group exercise classes should not go ahead)
- Community centres and halls
- Libraries
- Recycling and waste centres
- Car parks
- Public toilets
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