BREAKING: West Berkshire will be Tier 2

West Berkshire will be placed “high alert” tier 2, from 2nd December, it has been announced. It had been widely assumed, not least by the leader of West Berkshire council, that the area would in fact be categorised as least risk, tier 1. The announcement that the area will in fact be in tier 2 means additional restrictions will be in place from next month.

What are the restrictions for Tier 2?

• you must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place

• you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 people outside, including in a garden or a public space – this is called the ‘rule of 6’

• businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-Secure manner, other than those which remain closed by law, such as nightclubs

• pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals

• hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:

  • provide table service only, in premises which sell alcohol

  • close between 11pm and 5am (hospitality venues in airports, ports, transport services and motorway service areas are exempt)

  • stop taking orders after 10pm

• hospitality businesses and venues selling food and drink for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through

• early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances  that start before 10pm

• public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

• public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

• places of worship remain open but you must not socialise with people from outside of your household or support bubble while you are indoors there, unless a legal exemption applies

• weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies and receptions, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, and 15 people can attend linked commemorative events such as wakes  or stonesettings.

• organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue

• organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes will only be permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with). There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, which can take place with larger groups mixing

• you can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, but should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible

• if you live in a tier 2 area, you must continue to follow tier 2 rules when you travel to a tier 1 area. Avoid travel to or overnight stays in tier 3 areas other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities.You can travel through a tier 3 area as a part of a longer journey

• for international travel see the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for your destination and the travel corridors list

These restrictions are in addition to the standard Covid-19 restrictions which apply to all areas.

What are the standard restrictions which apply to all areas?

Across all tiers, everyone:

• must wear a face covering in most indoor public settings, unless they have an exemption

• should follow the rules on meeting others safely

• should attend school or college as normal, unless they are self-isolating. Schools, universities, colleges and early years settings remain open in all tiers

• should walk or cycle where possible, plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes when travelling

• must follow the gathering limits at their tier except for in specific settings and circumstances. These exemptions are detailed at the end of this guidance

Visits to care homes can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, and window visits. Regular testing will be offered to up to 2 family members or friends per resident by Christmas, which – when combined with other infection-control measures such as PPE – will support indoor visits with physical contact. Detailed guidance will be published shortly.

All businesses and venues that are open are expected to follow COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers. In all tiers, the following businesses and venues can remain open:

• essential and non-essential retail, including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales

• certain leisure and sporting facilities such as gyms, sports courts and facilities, leisure centres, fitness and dance studios, golf courses, swimming pools, riding centres, outdoor playgrounds – subject to relevant social contact rules in each tier. Indoor group activities and classes should not take place at tier 3

• personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services, massage parlours and tanning salons

• public buildings, such as libraries, community centres and halls. They should not host events for private hire, such as birthday parties or most other social activities in tier 3

• allotments, recycling and waste centres, public toilets, car parks

• essential public services such as the NHS and medical services, courts, and jobcentre plus sites

• places of worship – communal worship can now resume, subject to relevant social contact rules in each tier

Everyone who can work from home should do so. Where people cannot do so – including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing – they should continue to travel to their workplace. Public-sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary