Fresh Covid Restrictions Imposed in North of England, Amid London Mayor's U-turn on 10pm Curfew

As another region of England is to enter a “very high COVID alert level” on 24 October, its local government has agreed a funding package worth 41 million pounds ($53.5 million) to support businesses.

South Yorkshire in northern England will move into Tier 3 on Saturday, which means tighter restrictions for local residents and closures of pubs and bars.  

Labour MP and the mayor of Sheffield, Dan Jarvis, has been in talks with Downing Street to secure sufficient funding for his constituents faced with Tier 3 restrictions.

Today local leaders and I will continue talks with @10DowningStreet to make sure #COVID restrictions and proper support go hand in hand. We will do what's needed to protect lives and livelihoods in South #Yorkshire, and that means getting the right arrangements.

— Dan Jarvis (@DanJarvisMP) October 19, 2020

​Following the negotiations, a sum of 41 million pounds has been announced as funding for South Yorkshire businesses that will have to close and for additional public health measures.

Our Council leaders and I have secured £41m funding from Govt to support our people and businesses as we move to Tier 3. We’ve taken action to protect both lives and livelihoods as pressure increases on our #NHS.
The new rules start at 0001 on Sat 24 Oct.https://t.co/U7yv77Yx7I

— Dan Jarvis (@DanJarvisMP) October 21, 2020

​Rising infection levels of COVID-19 have severely affected the north of England, pushing the government to impose stricter measures.

Under Tier 3, pubs and bars “can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant, which means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal, and they may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal.” 

Meanwhile, the capital’s hospitality industry still operates under a 10pm curfew, branded “nonsensical” by Labour MP and London mayor Sadiq Khan. Despite being on board with the restriction when it was first introduced, Khan criticized the ban on Tuesday:

“Right now, businesses need all the help they can get. The 10pm curfew should be scrapped immediately.”

Now London is in Tier 2, the current 10pm curfew makes even less sense.

Right now, businesses need all the help they can get. The 10pm curfew should be scrapped immediately.
https://t.co/zThyWGfbYC

— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) October 20, 2020

​London has been moved to Tier 2 “high” risk level end of last week. While the highest tier now includes areas such as South Yorkshire, Liverpool and Lancashire.