Tier 2 Covid restrictions: What are the rules and which areas will be affected?

MOST of England is facing tough coronavirus restrictions under the new tier arrangements.

Curbs on pubs and restaurants, along with the "rule of six" applies to Brits living under Tier 2 measures.

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What is Tier 2 lockdown?

Tier 2 is for those areas placed under a "high alert" when the national lockdown ends on December 2, says the government.

This is for areas with a higher or rapidly rising level of infections, where some additional restrictions need to be in place.

Under Tier 2 lockdown:

• You must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
• People are banned from socialising in a group of more than six people outside, including in a garden or a public space – this is called the ‘rule of six’
• Businesses and venues can continue to operate
• Pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants.
• Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
• Pubs and bars must provide table service only, close between 11pm and 5am and stop taking orders after 10pm
• After 10pm hospitality businesses can sell food and drink via delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• Casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls must shut at 11pm

Also:

• Public attendance at outdoor and indoor events, including sports and business events, is allowed - limited to whichever is lower: 50 per cent capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• Places of worship can stay open but you must not socialise with people from outside your household or support bubble while indoors
• 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies and receptions
• 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies
• Organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue
• Avoid travel to or overnight stays in tier 3 areas other than where necessary, such as for work, education or to receive medical treatment
• You can travel through a Tier 3 area as a part of a longer journey
• Nightclubs remain closed

Which areas in England are going into Tier 2?

"The majority of England will be in Tier 2," says Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

This means a ban on households mixing indoors, while pubs and restaurants are only able to sell alcohol with a "substantial meal".

Mr Hancock told the Commons on November 26: "The lowest case rates are in Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly, which will go into Tier 1."

Large swathes of the country - including London - will be under Tier 2 restrictions from December 2.

Those areas under the new Tier 2 high alert designation are:

North West:

Cumbria

Liverpool City Region

Warrington and Cheshire

Yorkshire:

York

North Yorkshire

West Midlands

Worcestershire

Herefordshire

Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin

East Midlands:

Rutland

Northamptonshire

East of England:

Suffolk

Hertfordshire

Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough

Norfolk

Essex, Thurrock and Southend on Sea

Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes

London:

All 32 boroughs plus the City of London

South East:

East Sussex

West Sussex

Brighton and Hove

Surrey

Reading

Wokingham

Bracknell Forest

Windsor and Maidenhead

West Berkshire

Hampshire (except the Isle of Wight), Portsmouth and Southampton

Buckinghamshire

Oxfordshire

South West:

South Somerset, Somerset West and Taunton, Mendip and Sedgemoor

Bath and North East Somerset

Dorset

Bournemouth

Christchurch

Poole

Gloucestershire

Wiltshire and Swindon

Devon

Will there be a Tier 4?

Ministers have scrapped plans to bring in a tougher tier 4 for the worst-hit areas.

Instead, the government is due to strengthen the current three-tier system.

Can shops stay open?

Under the new restrictions non-essential shops are staying open in Tier 2.

It allows Brits to go shopping in the run up to Christmas.

Can pubs and restaurants stay open?

Pubgoers living in a Tier 2 zone can't just pop into their local boozer for a pint.

From December 2, pubs and bars in Tier 2 will only be allowed to stay open if they also operate as a restaurant.

They can only serve alcohol as part of a "substantial meal" and drink-only orders will be banned.

The government's definition of a substantial meal is a "full breakfast, main lunchtime or evening meal".

Establishments will refuse to serve booze to customers who only order bar snacks - it has to be a meal.

The new rules apply to revellers sitting inside and outside, and are on top of the Covid-secure regulations.

Bars and pubs that don't serve substantial meals will have to close.

Will households be allowed to mix?

People must not socialise with anyone they don't live with or who is not in their support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place.

You must not socialise in a group of more than six people outside, including in a garden or a public space – in line with the rule of 6.

Will gyms and sports facilities be open?

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools will be able to reopen in all three tiers.

The PM said that shops, gyms, personal care businesses and leisure facilities will be allowed to reopen from December 2.

Gyms and swimming pools can reopen everywhere, though restrictions vary across the tiers for classes and organised adult sport.

Can I get a haircut?

Yes, hairdressers salons and beauty salons will be open across the country.

Officials were said to be concerned that they would be unable to stop people going from Tier 3 areas into Tier 2 ones to sneak in an appointment before Christmas.

Can I get married?

Weddings can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies.

A reception is also allowed in tier two, with the same number of people.

This is does include the couple getting married, but not the staff, like the vicar if you are in a church, working - so up to 13 guests can attend.

Can I go to work?

Everyone who can work from home should do so.

Where people cannot do so – including people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing – should continue to travel to their workplace.

Can I travel to other parts of the UK?

If you live in a Tier 2 area, you must continue to follow Tier 2 rules when you travel to a Tier 1 area.

Avoid travel to or overnight stays in Tier 3 areas other than where necessary, such as for work, education or to receive medical treatment.

But, you can travel through a Tier 3 area as a part of a longer journey.

What does this mean for Christmas?

Boris Johnson has announced a slight relaxation of Covid-busting restrictions for Christmas.

Three households will be able to meet up inside for five days over Christmas in a much-needed boost for the nation after a gruelling year of Covid rules.

Social distancing and travel rules will be scrapped from December 23 to 27 so Brits can hug their grannies and see their friends as part of the festive plan.

There will be a relaxation of restrictions on overnight stays, and people will be allowed to travel freely across Tiers

Cops won't be expected to patrol to enforce the new rules - but will step in if people break them by hosting huge gatherings and hold parties.