Government announces new English tier system

The government has outlined its latest set of restrictions ahead of England coming out of its one-month lockdown on 2nd December. Addressing the House of Commons, health secretary Matt Hancock detailed the tiers that some of the country’s major cities will be placed in.

Approximately 21 local authority areas – including Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield – will be in the most restrictive tier three. The majority, including Liverpool and London, will be in tier two, while only three will be in tier one.

Eateries will be allowed to re-open in tiers one and two, with the rule of six applying in the former, though no household mixing will be allowed in the latter. In tier three, they can only operate takeaway services.

Mike Fishpen, owner of Oxfordshire-based Mike Fishpen Personal Chef Services, said: “As a private chef, I’m in complete and utter dismay. Having earned nothing whatsoever in November, I had 12-plus dinners booked for December but have now lost the lot. I need to earn a living and I cannot because of these continued restrictions. 

"Tiers two and three, which more or less all of the country has been placed in, mean I cannot do my job and cannot earn a penny. I am now on the phone to all my clients giving them refunds. 

"Even if the rules are relaxed slightly for Christmas itself, this will not save my business. It's not just turkeys that are being stuffed this Christmas but millions of businesses, too."

The guidance will be revised every 14 days, beginning on 16th December. Go to www.gov.uk/guidance/full-list-of-local-restriction-tiers-by-area for the full list of tiers.