Lancashire moves to Tier 3 Covid alert level with pubs set to close

– It is only the second part of England to be classed as 'very high risk' – It joins Liverpool City Region in seeing pubs and bars close – But unlike in Merseyside its gyms will not shut, sparking fury among Liverpool leaders
Blackpool will be among the cities facing tough new measures when Lancashire enters Tier 3
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Pubs and bars are set to close across Lancashire as the region enters Tier 3 of the Government’s Covid alert system.

The move means the region has become only the second area of England to be placed under the "very high risk" coronavirus restrictions, alongside Liverpool City Region.

From Saturday, people in the north-west county will be banned from household mixing in any indoor setting or private garden, as well as in most outdoor hospitality venues.

All pubs and bars must close unless they are serving substantial meals, and casinos, bingo halls, bookmakers, betting shops, soft play areas and adult gaming centres will be forced to shut.

Car boot sales will also be banned.

However, unlike Merseyside – which was previously the only area in England categorised as Tier 3 – Lancashire's gyms and leisure centres will stay open.

Liverpool's mayor Joe Anderson hit out at the lack of consistency on Twitter, writing: “Liverpool City Region has demanded immediate clarification on why Lancashire gyms are allowed to stay open and Liverpool’s close.

“Inconsistent mess, we now have Tier 3 A and Tier 3 B.

“Are gym users in Lancashire more safer than those in Liverpool region?”

The new rules will affect some 1.5 million people across Lancashire towns including Blackpool, Preston and Blackburn when they come into force.

The measures were agreed after a deal was thrashed out between ministers and local leaders on Friday morning.

Lancashire County Council leader Geoff Driver told the BBC: "It's been a long drawn out process but I think we've got a good deal."

"What we've been able to do is to convince government that the measures we have in place to monitor such things as the gyms and the leisure centres are sufficient to ensure that they're not a source of infection."

He told the news site that ministers had agreed to a support package worth £42 million, after the area was promised £12 million, with £30m to help the businesses affected.

Confirming the move, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “An unrelenting rise in cases in Lancashire means we must act now, and we have worked intensively with local leaders to agree on additional restrictions.

“I know how heavy these additional challenges will weigh on everyday life for the people of Lancashire but they are critical in bringing this virus under control.

“Without them, we risk the health of your loved ones, your most vulnerable, and your local NHS services.

“Now is the time to play your part, and we will make sure you are supported."

It comes as half the population of England – 26.7 million people – face stricter lockdown measures from one minute past midnight on Saturday.

London will move into Tier 2 of the alert system, banning people from separate households mixing indoors – including in pubs and restaurants.

Essex, Elmbridge, Barrow-in-Furness, York, North East Derbyshire, Erewash and Chesterfield will join the capital in entering the "high risk" category.

Manchester on Coronavirus Tier 3 Alert

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Meanwhile a furious political row between local politicians and Westminster has so far prevented Greater Manchester from being upgraded to “very high risk".

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused the city’s mayor Andy Burnham of trying to “hold the Government over a barrel” by resisting tougher restrictions and urged him to “do the right thing by the people of Manchester”.

Mr Burnham has said that what is proposed goes far beyond just closing pubs and bars and is not guaranteed to bring the outbreak under control.

MPs and other council chiefs have also criticised the plan.

But Mr Raab insisted tougher restrictions were needed to control the rise in coronavirus cases.

He told BBC Breakfast: “Ultimately we need to take action – we can’t have a situation as we have seen in Manchester where Andy Burnham is effectively trying to hold the Government over a barrel over money and politics when actually we need to take action.

“The cases there are 470 per 100,000, so it is very serious, and we must take action in the interest of the people of Manchester and the wider area, and if we take those targeted actions in those areas most affected… we get through this and we avoid the national level lockdown.”

Mr Burnham, responding on Twitter, said: “It’s not about what we want for ourselves, Dominic Raab.

“It’s about what we want for low-paid and self-employed people everywhere: fairness.”

In a joint statement, Mr Burnham, North Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram called for an 80 per cent furlough scheme for all people affected by regional lockdowns.

They said: “Paying two-thirds of salaries will not be enough to protect the jobs of thousands – it should at least match the 80 per cent that was available under furlough, with the minimum wage as the minimum support.

“The Universal Credit top-up is not the answer. It doesn’t help everybody and takes weeks to come through.

“It will not prevent severe hardship for thousands of low-paid workers before Christmas.

“But we won’t forget the self-employed and freelancers and other business who will be affected by these lockdowns, they also need support and we stand firm for those too.

“This is a fight for what is right.”

However, just before midday on Friday it was reported that the seven local authorities in the North East were granted a week's repreive from joining the top tier.

Council leaders in Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham successfully argued to ministers that the rise in infection rate was slowing in the region, sources said.

But in order to avoid the imposition of new restrictions next week the drop in cases will need to continue.

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