New Year’s Eve pub trips with pals banned for millions as Brits told they MUST follow strict Tier 2 & 3 rules

NEW Year’s Eve pub trips with pals are banned for millions of Brits who’ve been warned they must follow the Tier rules as they ring in 2021.

The Government today issued official guidance for the festive period and warned Brits that there would be no exceptions over New Year to the harsh Tier 2 & 3 rules that ban people from mixing indoors.

They also told people they cannot go to the boozer or mix indoors with their Christmas bubbles on New Year’s Eve.

As expected, the Tier restrictions will apply throughout December, apart from 23 to 27 December when Brits are allowed to mix with three households indoors to celebrate the festive season.

Ninety nine per cent of England will be in Tier 2 or 3 from Wednesday when the second national lockdown lifts, with strict rules on socialising under Covid restrictions.

For around 23.3 million people in Tier 3 pubs and restaurants are closed except for takeaway drinks.

In Tier 2, households are banned from mixing indoors and pubs are only allowed to serve alcohol with substantial meals and must close at 11pm.

Anyone in Tier 2 who wants to mix with someone outside their bubble must do so outside and in groups of no bigger than six.

About 16 million people in Tier 3 areas are expected to be downgraded to Tier 2 at the first review, which would leave around seven million Brits in the highest tier with pubs shut for New Year’s Eve.

STIFF CURBS

The majority of punters will still be facing stiff curbs on New Year’s Eve.

The government’s Guidance for Christmas says: “You must follow the rules on where you can go and who you can meet, including on New Year’s Eve.

“Your Christmas bubble will no longer apply.”

Just Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles will be in the lowest Tier 1 bracket from Wednesday.

Under Tier 1 rules, groups of up to six people from different households can meet inside – including in pubs or restaurants.

But Brits in Tier 2 who want to celebrate New Year’s with pals face having to brave freezing temperatures.

Groups of up to six people can meet outdoors – including in pub gardens – in Tier 2 from Wednesday.

Last New Year’s Eve, the mercury sank as low as 3C in London, with revellers in Edinburgh and Glasgow shivering in temperatures of 2C.

MPS FURY

Three households will be able to meet up inside a bubble for five days over Christmas.

It comes as Boris Johnson wrote to MPs saying that the tiers for each area will be reviewed on December 16.

Mr Johnson said “every local authority area and each region” will be reviewed every two weeks.

But the PM faces a backbench rebellion to his plan to impose tough Tier 2 and 3 coronavirus restrictions when lockdown ends on Wednesday.

In a letter to colleagues on Saturday evening, Mr Johnson said the Tiers system would contain a “sunset clause” – or expiry date – of February 3.

MPs would be given the chance to vote on whether to extend them beyond that date or scrap them altogether.

He also hinted that on December 16, some Tier 3 areas could be downgraded to Tier 2 allowing people to go to pubs and restaurants indoors with their family bubbles.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has been told that the 2.8 million people who live in the area will likely be downgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 2, The Sunday Times reported.

MPs will vote on the Tiers plan on Tuesday.