This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/01/ban-mixing-pubs-restaurants-merseyside-expected-coronavirus
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hancock announces Covid restrictions in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside | Hancock announces Covid restrictions in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than 2 million people will be banned mixing with other households indoors in latest local lockdown | More than 2 million people will be banned mixing with other households indoors in latest local lockdown |
| More than 2 million people in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside will be banned by law from mixing with other households indoors in the latest extension of lockdown restrictions. | More than 2 million people in Merseyside, Warrington and Teesside will be banned by law from mixing with other households indoors in the latest extension of lockdown restrictions. |
| The decision was announced by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, in the Commons after a meeting chaired by Boris Johnson on Thursday. | |
| Under the new rules, which are an extension of the powers introduced in north-east England earlier this week, it will be illegal for families to meet others they do not live with in all indoor settings including pubs, bars and restaurants. | Under the new rules, which are an extension of the powers introduced in north-east England earlier this week, it will be illegal for families to meet others they do not live with in all indoor settings including pubs, bars and restaurants. |
| The measures will apply across Merseyside as well as Warrington, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool. | |
| The restrictions are due to come into force at midnight on Friday. | |
| Hancock told MPs: “We recommend against all social mixing between people in different households. We will bring in regulations, as we have in the north-east, to prevent in law social mixing between different households in all settings except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality.” | Hancock told MPs: “We recommend against all social mixing between people in different households. We will bring in regulations, as we have in the north-east, to prevent in law social mixing between different households in all settings except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality.” |
| The rules will also recommend against all but essential travel on public transport, attending amateur or professional sports events, and only visiting care homes in exceptional circumstances. | The rules will also recommend against all but essential travel on public transport, attending amateur or professional sports events, and only visiting care homes in exceptional circumstances. |
| Hancock said a £7m support package would be made available to councils in all affected areas. | Hancock said a £7m support package would be made available to councils in all affected areas. |
| He added: “I understand how much of an imposition this is. I want rules like this to stay in place for as short a time as possible, I’m sure we all do. | |
| “The study published today shows us hope that together we can crack this and the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool and the north-east back on their feet.” | “The study published today shows us hope that together we can crack this and the more people follow the rules and reduce their social contact, the quicker we can get Liverpool and the north-east back on their feet.” |
| Hancock also announced the reopening of Bolton’s hospitality industry, two days after the town’s Conservative council leader told the Guardian the area had been “forgotten” since its pubs, restaurants and bars were restricted to takeaway-only trade three weeks ago. | |
| Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said he supported the new measures but that areas needed urgent financial support otherwise “existing inequalities, which themselves have a health impact and allow the virus to thrive, will be exacerbated”. | Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, said he supported the new measures but that areas needed urgent financial support otherwise “existing inequalities, which themselves have a health impact and allow the virus to thrive, will be exacerbated”. |
| He added: “People need clarity as well. Areas like Leicester, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bradford have had restrictions imposed on them for months now. Millions of people in these local lockdown areas just need some reassurance that an end is in sight.” | He added: “People need clarity as well. Areas like Leicester, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Bradford have had restrictions imposed on them for months now. Millions of people in these local lockdown areas just need some reassurance that an end is in sight.” |
| Hancock was unable to say when restrictions would be lifted in those areas but said the measures were “vital for suppressing the virus”. | Hancock was unable to say when restrictions would be lifted in those areas but said the measures were “vital for suppressing the virus”. |
| After the announcement, the Liverpool mayor, Joe Anderson, said he was “deeply worried” there was no financial support for businesses and described the £7m for local authorities as a “drop in the ocean”. | |
| Liverpool council estimates that its budget deficit is £45.6m in a best-case scenario because of coronavirus, rising to £66m in a worst-case scenario. | |
| Anderson said he recognised the infection rate was “basically out of control”, but added that hotels, bars and restaurants werein danger of closing. | |
| He told BBC Merseyside: “It’s nowhere near enough, £7m wouldn’t be enough for Liverpool alone, let alone across the city region. It’s got to be in the hundreds of millions that we need to support businesses to survive just for a matter of weeks. | |
| “A local lockdown is fine if it helps curtail the virus but there has to be a local furlough financial scheme for local businesses to survive. | |
| “The city and the city region are in a desperate position financially and we need that financial support and we need it now.” | |
| Coronavirus cases in Merseyside are averaging more than 200 per 100,000 people – more than four times the England average – with Liverpool and Knowsley recording the highest infection rates in England. | Coronavirus cases in Merseyside are averaging more than 200 per 100,000 people – more than four times the England average – with Liverpool and Knowsley recording the highest infection rates in England. |
| Measures that restrict social gatherings in pubs, bars and restaurants – such as those introduced in part of north-east England – will have a particularly significant impact on the Merseyside economy given its reliance on hospitality and tourism. The industries account for half of the business rates that fund public services in Liverpool. | Measures that restrict social gatherings in pubs, bars and restaurants – such as those introduced in part of north-east England – will have a particularly significant impact on the Merseyside economy given its reliance on hospitality and tourism. The industries account for half of the business rates that fund public services in Liverpool. |
| Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor of the Liverpool city region, and six civic leaders, warned on Wednesday that Merseyside’s public finances were “at breaking point” and they needed a “comprehensive package of financial support” from the Treasury when new lockdown measures are imposed. | Steve Rotheram, the metro mayor of the Liverpool city region, and six civic leaders, warned on Wednesday that Merseyside’s public finances were “at breaking point” and they needed a “comprehensive package of financial support” from the Treasury when new lockdown measures are imposed. |
| He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday: “All of our figures are going badly in the wrong direction. We’re seeing exponential growth in the number of cases, we’ve seen hospital admissions start to be impacted now. We will unfortunately see the resulting deaths.” | |
| However, Rotheram said it was important that the government set out a “roadmap” for exiting the restrictions because other areas had been stuck in what he described as a “Hotel California situation” where they can never get out. | However, Rotheram said it was important that the government set out a “roadmap” for exiting the restrictions because other areas had been stuck in what he described as a “Hotel California situation” where they can never get out. |
| George Eustice, the environment secretary, said local restrictions would be lifted once the infection rate in those areas “gets back more in line with the national trend”. | George Eustice, the environment secretary, said local restrictions would be lifted once the infection rate in those areas “gets back more in line with the national trend”. |