South Yorkshire will face the toughest lockdown restrictions as of Saturday, when they’ll move into tier three lockdown. Sheffield Mayor Dan Jarvis said there have been “extensive discussions” to move to tier three.
Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield in South Yorkshire will join Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire under the UK’s tightest restrictions, as a result of increasing cases in the Northern areas.
The new restrictions will mean no mixing of households under any setting, pubs and bars not serving meals will be closed, as well as guidance against travelling in and out of the area. Casinos, betting shops and soft play areas will also be closed.
The tier system was brought in by the government just one week ago, and is a regional measure designed to avoid a national lockdown.
South Yorkshire will receive a package of £41m, which will support businesses affected by the new restrictions, as well as help local authorities to support public health measures – such as contact tracing.
Jarvis said of the new restrictions: “If restrictions are effective, individual local authorities will be able to move to lower alert levels as soon as it is safe to do so, in consultation with fellow local leaders, myself and national government,”.
The news comes following a bitter battle between Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Boris Johnson, which resulted in the region being forced into Tier 3 restrictions without a deal.
It is expected more Northern towns and cities will be moved into Tier 3 this week, with West Yorkshire currently under review.
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