Tier 3 lockdown rules: Full list of businesses that must close in very high alert areas due to new Covid restrictions

PUBS, casinos and bingo halls are among the businesses that must close in the toughest Tier three coronavirus lockdown areas.

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will be added into the list of Tier three areas.

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The new restrictions will come into force from 12.01am on Wednesday.

Mr Hancock said on Monday, December 14: “When the virus is growing exponentially, there is not a moment to spare.

“Hospitals across the countries of Essex and Kent are already under pressure, and we know the doubling of cases will be mirrored in hospital admissions, and it only takes a few doublings for the NHS to be overwhelmed.”

The full list of places going into Tier three from Wednesday are:

• Greater London
• Basildon
• Brentwood
• Harlow
• Epping Forest
• Castle Point
• Rochford
• Braintree & Chelmsford
• Thurrock and South End on Sea Borough councils 
• Broxbourne
• Heartsmere
• Watford and the three river local authority

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Manchester, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley are already on the list of high risk areas.

Parts of Lincolnshire, Nottingham and Lancashire are also classed as very high risk Tier three regions.

Every area of England is now classified medium, high or very high risk after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his new three-tier system for tackling rising coronavirus cases.

Tier one areas – medium risk – must follow current social distancing measures, the “rule of six”, and a pub curfew of 10pm.

Households in Tier two – high risk areas – have the same restrictions, plus a ban on households mixing indoors.

Tier three areas – very high risk – have all the above rules, plus they can’t leave their region unless for essential reasons such as work, education or health.

Some businesses in Tier three areas will also have to close – we explain what this means below.

Lockdown measures are a devolved issue, which means Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can set their own rules to control the virus.

Will businesses in Tier three areas have to close?

Pubs and bars in Tier three regions in England will have to close unless they can operate as a restaurant.

Other businesses that must shut include casinos, bowling alleys and indoor gym classes.

Any closures will come as a blow, particularly to the pubs industry with boozers already restricted by a 10pm curfew in England.

For businesses that must shut in England, or that have been closed since the height of the coronavirus pandemic in March, the government announced grants worth £3,000 a month.

The new safety net is an increase from the previous £1,500 grant which could be claimed every three weeks.

Which businesses will stay open in Tier three areas?

Restaurants will be allowed to stay open, although they’ll continue to be subject to current 10pm curfew rules.

Schools, universities and colleges will also stay open in Tier three lockdown areas.

Shops will not have to shut, as the Prime Minister confirmed the retail industry will be unaffected.

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List of businesses that must close in Tier 3 including pubs and restaurants

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk