The Government has announced that Greater Manchester, including Stockport, will enter the Very High Tier 3 level of coronavirus restrictions at one minute past midnight on Frday 23rd October.
The new rules will affect the 2.8 million residents of the region.
From this coming Friday morning the region will have additional restrictions imposed, including the closure of 1,809 pubs for a period of at the very least four weeks. Soft play areas, betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres will also be required to close.
Hospitality venues with a ‘substantial food offering’ may stay open (see below).
Talks between local leaders and Westminster ended at 2pm yesterday afternoon when the Government failed to agree to provide an additional £65m financial support package. The Government had offered £60m which Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said is still on the table.
Following the PM’s announcement, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said:
I know this is going to be a difficult time for you. We took this stand for you. We will carry on fighting for you. We will carry on putting your health first. But health is more than the virus. We will support people’s health in the broadest possible sense. So tough days lay ahead. Please, everybody, observe the law at all times and follow the public health advice. Above all else, please look out for each other, as I know you will.”
The new restrictions will see pubs which do not serve a ‘substantial food food offering’ which has been defined in a statement from the Cabinet Office:
It is clear that there is a difference between a meal and a snack, such as crisps. There is no prescribed limit for how long a meal is expected to take, however we expect people to act reasonably, and for venues to take action to prevent people flouting the rules. Venues will face enforcement action from local authorities where they fail to comply. Substantive meals are a well-established concept under existing licensing rules. The Licensing Act 2003 (Section 149) has a legal concept of ‘alcohol allowed with table meals.’ This allows for 16 and 17 year olds to have alcohol with an adult with a sit down table meal. “
Boris Johnson’s full statement on the introduction of the higher restrictions is available on the government website, along with slides and data presented by Prof Jonathan Van Tam.
Stockport Council is waiting for the detailed information about what financial support is to be made available to businesses in Stockport that will be instructed to close under Tier 3 restrictions. More information on this will be made available as soon as it is possible to do so.
Businesses facing closure due to the imposition of new restrictions can secure additional support via the Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme (LSRG). LRSG supports businesses that have been required to close due to temporary COVID-19 local lockdown restrictions imposed by the government – check your eligibility here.
This is the latest information available on the Government website:
Check if you’re eligible for the coronavirus Local Restrictions Support Grant
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) supports businesses that have been required to close due to temporary COVID-19 local lockdown restrictions imposed by the government.
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