London: London will avoid the toughest coronavirus restrictions when England’s partial lockdown ends next week, Boris Johnson’s government announced.
The U.K. capital has been placed into tier 2 — which means pubs, restaurants and bars can open for business, but alcohol can only be served as part of a meal. Households will not be allowed to mix indoors.
The regional three-tier system is tougher than before lockdown because ministers want to make sure they get a grip of the virus before people are allowed a five-day relaxation of the rules during the Christmas holidays.
Most of England will be in either tier 2 and the highest tier 3, with only Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly in the lowest tier 1.
Areas in tier 3 — which will see pubs and restaurants closed except for delivery and takeaway — include the northwestern city of Manchester, the northeastern city of Newcastle and Bristol in the southwest. Liverpool, which has pioneered mass testing, will be in tier 2.
‘Dig deep’
When the lockdown is lifted in England on Dec. 2, the general requirement for people to “stay at home” will end and all shops, gyms and hairdressers will reopen. But in all areas, people will be urged to continue to work from home if they can.
“Hope is on the horizon but we still have further to go, so we must all dig deep,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told members of Parliament.
The announcement risks angering some of Johnson’s own Conservative MPs who have been lobbying ministers to keep their local areas out of the highest tier. Parliament will vote on the new measures early next week.
The government divided England into 46 sub-regions, with only 2 in tier 1, the lowest level of restrictions. There will be 27 areas in tier 2, and 17 areas under the tightest rules in tier 3.
Hancock said the government would review which region was in each tier every 14 days, based on infection rates and local pressures on the National Health Service.
London’s mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the move to place the city in tier 2. “This decision will be a welcome boost for London’s shops, businesses and hospitality venues who were forced to close just as preparations for the Christmas period began,” he said.
Ravinder Bhogal, owner of Jikoni restaurant in central London, welcomed the relaxation of the 10 p.m. curfew. “It is definitely an improvement on the last tier 2 and it means we can give our guests a relaxed meal without rushing them out,” she said. “It feels a bit like coming up for air. However, we’d like a proper idea of what is expected in January to give businesses the time to plan.”
| Johnson’s New Regional Covid Rules for England |
|---|
Under all tiersEveryone should work from home where they can.
Education and childcare open. Gyms and swimming pools open. Shops and hairdressers open.
Exceptions to household mixing rules for people in support bubbles. Tier 1Maximum of six people can meet indoors or outdoors.
Bars, pubs and restaurants table service only; last orders 10 p.m., close 11 p.m.
Entertainment venues open.
Accommodation open. Overnight stays allowed for up to six people. Exercise classes and sport outdoors, but with maximum of six people indoors.
Travel advice: Walk, cycle.
Large events, sports and performances allowed but limited to 50% capacity, or maximum 4,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower).
Tier 2No household mixing indoors. Maximum of six people outdoors. Pubs, bars closed unless operating as restaurants. Alcohol only served with “substantial meals.” Last orders 10 p.m., close 11 p.m.
Entertainment open. Accommodation open.
Exercise classes and sport allowed outdoors, but indoors only if there’s no interaction between households.
Travel advice: Reduce journeys. Large events, sports and performances allowed but limited to 50% capacity, or maximum 2,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower).
Tier 3No mixing households indoors, or in most outdoor space. Maximum of six in parks and sports courts.
Bars, pubs and restaurants all closed, apart from take-away or delivery meals. Indoor entertainment closed.
Travel advice: Avoid leaving Tier 3 area, reduce journeys. No overnight stays beyond local area, with exceptions for work, education. Accommodation closed, with exceptions for work.
Exercise classes and sports can take place outdoors, but not higher-risk contact activities.
Large events banned. Drive-in events permitted. |
–With assistance from Tim Ross, Alex Morales, Thomas Penny and Richard Vines.
-Bloomberg
Also read: London bans households from mixing indoors as Covid rules tightened amid rising cases