Coronavirus: Nottingham and surrounding areas to move into Tier 3 this week – council bosses

Residents living in Nottingham, Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe will face tougher coronavirus restrictions later this week, local leaders say.

The areas are going into Tier 3 – England’s highest band of measures to combat COVID-19 – from 12:01am on Thursday.

Council bosses said the change was needed to “achieve a sustained reduction in infection rates” and “help protect our vulnerable residents, the NHS and social care services”.

“Further measures specific to these areas of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will be announced tomorrow,” they added.

Meanwhile, Warrington will also go into Tier 3, from just after midnight tonight.

That means residents are banned from socialising with anybody they do not live with indoors, in a private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues.

The only exception is for those with a support bubble, and people can still meet up in groups six outdoors in places including parks or the countryside.

All pubs and bars will also be forced to close – unless they are serving substantial meals – and travel out of the areas is discouraged apart from for work, education or caring responsibilities.

Also betting shops, adult gaming centres, casinos and soft play centres must shut.

Infection rates in Warrington are among the highest in England, at 361 people per 100,000 among all age groups, according to the Department of Health.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock thanked residents for their “sacrifices” and added: “I want to extend my thanks to each and every one of them for recognising the severity of the situation and sticking to the rules.”

The measures will be reviewed in 28 days, Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick added.

Warrington council is getting £1.68m to enforce the new rules and £4.2m to support businesses affected.

Local leaders told Sky News last week a deal had been agreed which meant leisure centres, gyms, fitness centres, beauty parlours, hairdressers and trampoline centres could stay open.

Warrington Council leader Russ Bowden said coronavirus case numbers in the town remained “stubbornly high” while the number of hospital admissions is “concerning”.

“The upsetting and grim reality is that there are more people in hospital, more people in intensive care beds and more people being taken by the virus, and we need to do all we can to try to bring this under control,” he said.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Nottingham and surrounding areas to move into Tier 3 this week – council bosses