BBC Radio Leicester

From tomorrow, the 167,000 people living in Charnwood will be in tier two of coronavirus restrictions.

That means residents will no longer be able to socialise with other households indoors.

The rate of Covid transmission in Charnwood is the highest in the East Midlands, and is particularly high among young people.

Bosses at Loughborough University say it's unfair to blame students.

Image source, Loughborough University

Richard Taylor, chief operating officer at the university, said he has been "pleasantly surprised" at how well students are been behaving.

He said: "There's definitely more students out there delivering food parcels, helping neighbours than having wild parties.

"I think to suggest it's a university problem is not the case.

"About a third of the cases in Charnwood are in the university areas - about two thirds aren't.

"Whilst we at the university accept we've a responsibility to work with our partners to get the rate down that is not the only reason we're in tier two as a borough."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Fines of £200 have been given to 40 young people who attended a party in Nottingham on Wednesday.

Nottinghamshire Police said officers went to the student halls in Trinity Square shortly before 23:15 after details of the party were shared on social media.

Image source, Google

The force said officers were still trying to establish who organised the party, which took place in an unoccupied flat, as they face a fine of £10,000.

A bag of cocaine and a PA system were seized from the property.

Assistant Chief Constable Kate Meynell of Nottinghamshire Police said: “We expect people to follow and obey the law and hope that this latest incident serves as a warning to others – that if you do break the rules in this way you will be caught and you will be punished.”

BBC Radio Nottingham

Within the new local rules in Nottinghamshire, indoor entertainment and tourism venues have to close.

There are exceptions for ice-skating rinks, cinemas, concert halls, and theatres.

Joy Cotton is the director of Skateland UK, a family-run roller skating rink in Nottingham.

Image source, Getty Images

She said said she feels "pretty sad" about closing and thinks there is a problem with "inconsistency" and "fairness" around the new rules.

"I've been in touch with the council and I don't seem to have an answer as to why ice skating can continue but roller skating can't.

"I'm not really sure - other than blades, some wheels and ice - what's the difference?".

Ms Cotton believes there is also an argument she should remain open as a sports facility, and says many of her customers use roller skating a part of their fitness regime and for mental well being.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

The whole of Derbyshire and Charnwod in Leicestershire will move from tier one to tier two restrictions from midnight tonight.

Chesterfield, Erewash and North East Derbyshire were already in the tier two, high risk category, but Derby and the rest of the county will now also be included.

In Leicestershire, Charnwood will join the city of Leicester, and Oadby and Wigston in the second tier.

Image source, Getty Images

Amanda Solloway, Conservative MP for Derby North, said it's better to react now rather than risk much tighter restrictions in future.

She said: "The results start to be seen in two or three weeks time. If we adhere to tier two guidance hopefully it will mean we won't have to go into tier three."

Fiona Grant, a public health consultant for Leicestershire County Council, said: "We are seeing higher rates within the Charnwood area. We are seeing it in young people but we are also starting to see it more worryingly in the over 60s.

"The more people can take account of this advice, the more we can help to prevent the spread to those more vulnerable groups."

Image source, Getty Images

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

More than 100 betting shops and four casinos in Nottinghamshire have been forced to close their doors for the next 28 days at least, according to an industry spokesperson.

This is one of the new local restrictions brought in to control the spread of coronavirus.

Brigid Simmonds, chair of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: "There have been no cases of Covid linked to a casino that we're aware of - that demonstrated to me that they are really very safe."

BBC Radio 5 Live

With so many new rules now in place across Nottinghamshire, some businesses are still trying to understand how it affects them.

Marco Cartolano runs the Hungry Pumpkin deli and cafe in Nottingham and was planning to open at 8am, but doesn't know if he can.

Image source, Google

One of the local restrictions is that all hospitality venues can only remain open to offer substantial meals.

Mr Cartolano said: "It's very confusing. We realised last night, about these new rules. We didn't have any official information from the city council like an email or a phone call.

"We are a coffee shop and we sell mostly coffee, tea and snacks - I don't know what a substantial meal is. We don't know what to do to be honest with you."

PA News

Young people took to the streets of Nottingham on Thursday evening before the new tier three restrictions came into force at midnight.

They were seen posing for photographs, chanting near police vehicles in Market Square, and drinking alcohol in large groups.

The city has now been placed into the "very high" bracket - with rules such as a ban on buying alcohol from shops after 9pm.

Image source, PA Media

Nottinghamshire County Council leader Kay Cutts said police had asked for the 9pm rule, adding that "young people don't think they are ever going to catch anything".

"What we feared might happen, and what the police feared might happen is people would go to the pub, they'd have a meal and they'd have some drinks and come out and go straight to the off-licence and buy a bottle and go and continue their partying elsewhere," she said.

Image source, PA Media

Nottinghamshire Police issued a warning earlier on Thursday that they would have "no hesitation" in fining people deliberately flouting the rules.

Assistant Chief Constable Kate Meynell said: "The people of Nottinghamshire have been incredibly supportive and patient with the national and local measures that have impacted on all our lives this year.

"Sadly there has been a minority of people who think the legislation doesn't apply to them and we have been forced to take action, and in some cases hand out fines."

Image source, PA Media

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The whole of Nottinghamshire has now moved into the top tier of Covid-19 restrictions.

It follows an overall rise in infection rates.

On Wednesday, there were 413 people across being treated in hospital for Covid-19 across the county - that's 40% more than the highest figures seen during the first wave of the virus.

Among the many new rules is the banning of residents from socialising in any indoor setting or in private gardens with those outside their household or support bubble.

Pubs and bars that don't serve substantial meals must close and residents have been told to avoid travelling outside the area, unless for essential journeys.

There are also several extra local restrictions in place - including the closure of betting shops, saunas, tattoo parlours and nail salons.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Deb O'Hara, 49, from Mansfield, said the new tier 3 restrictions mean her son's wedding reception can't go ahead in mid-November as planned, although the service can.

She was getting her nails done in preparation as it's the last day she will be able to.

She said: "So from tomorrow I won't be able to go in to a nail salon, but I can go to a hairdressers. What is that? I'm gutted by the tier three."

She was one of a number of women braving the rain to queue for a last-minute nail appointment.

Another was Rachael Redmile, 40. She said: "They should go one way or the other - if they're going to put us in lockdown, then get it over with.

"If they want to go with herd immunity and shield the vulnerable, get it over with. I don't understand how everything can be open but we can't see our families? It's the world gone crazy. People want to see their family over Christmas."

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Indoor entertainment and tourism venues are among those being told to close under the tier three restrictions.

Wollaton Hall is having to close its museum to comply.

East Midlands Today

Wedding receptions will not be able to take place in Nottinghamshire when it enters tier three of coronavirus restrictions on Friday.

Couples can still get married but there won't be any celebrating with family and friends after the ceremony.

Jon Perkins is the managing director of The Carriage Hall, a wedding venue in Nottingham.

He said: "We were actually meant to be having a wedding here tomorrow so it's been very upsetting for the bride and groom having to make complete changes to their plans.

"We can still go ahead with the official ceremony but unfortunately that is it.

"We were also meant to be having a wedding reception here on Saturday, which also can't go ahead."

Mr Perkins said the new restrictions also come as another blow to the wedding industry that has had an "extremely tough" year.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Nottingham's National Justice Museum and the City of Caves are to close from tomorrow, external as tier 3 restrictions come into force across the county.

In a statement, the museum said: "We fully support this measure as the right thing to do to combat Covid-19 in the interests of all our visitors, staff and volunteers in the current circumstances."

Image source, Google

However chief executive Victoria Reeves tweeted, external it was "rather a surprise" as museums had not been required to close in other tier 3 areas.

She said the decision to shut the attraction was prompted by guidance from the city council.

BBC Radio Nottingham

Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council Kay Cutts says the decision to ban shops from selling alcohol after 21:00 in the city and county as part of the tier three restrictions was a request from police.

"It's very much something the police wanted to see," she said.

"In the spring time we had a lot of parties into the small hours of the morning, almost daylight sometimes and people getting together in the park drinking and we had to have dispersal orders there."

Image source, PA Media

The county will receive the funding as businesses are forced to close under tier three restrictions.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

There was an "element of inevitability" about Charnwood entering the second highest level of alert, a public health official has said.

Fiona Grant, a public health consultant for Leicestershire County Council, said the rise in rates in the area was part of a second wave already being seen in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Image source, Leicestershire County Council

She added there were higher rates among the young but cases are also now rising among over 60s.

She said: "The more people follow the advice the more we can help prevent the spread."

One MP warns the measures "probably won't be enough to get us anywhere from a health perspective".

David Pittam
BBC News Online

The rate of infection is up to five times higher among young people than over 60s in Derbyshire's new tier two areas, according to government figures released today.

• In Amber Valley, the weekly case rate is 250 people per 100,000. This increases to 560 per 100,000 in those aged 17-21 and 199 per 100,000 in the over 60s.
• In Bolsover, it is 293 people per 100,000. This increases to 542 per 100,000 in those aged 17-21 and 193 per 100,000 in the over 60s.
• In Derbyshire Dales, it's 170 per 100,000. This increases to 586 per 100,000 in those aged 17-21 and 112 per 100,000 in the over 60s.
• In Derby City, it is 288 people per 100,000. This increases to 359 per 100,000 in those aged 17-21 and 200 per 100,000 in the over 60s.
• In South Derbyshire, there are 293 cases per 100,000. This increases to 633 per 100,000 in those aged 17-21 and 128 per 100,000 in the over 60s.

Image source, PA Media

BBC Radio Derby

Chesterfield's Labour MP Toby Perkins has told the BBC he does not believe the tier two measures imposed in the county "will be enough".

Chesterfield went into tier two earlier in October but Mr Perkins claims the measures have not been effective.

"From my point of view, having been in tier two for two weeks, I think the measures themselves will be very costly for the hospitality trade but probably won't be enough to get us anywhere from a health perspective.

"We have been in tier two for almost two weeks and we've seen the continued escalation of cases. There's not much of a sign that tier two is working."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said they were working closely with, "local leaders, directors of public health and local government at all levels to agree measures to help reduce the transmission of the virus, whilst minimising the impact to livelihoods and the economy".

David Pittam
BBC News Online

The supervisor of a Derby pub said he had been expecting an announcement on tier two - but is worried about the uncertainty of what will happen next.

Dave Freeborough, of The Tap, said: "It's been busy over the past few weekends, I've been expecting it.

"Eventually we are going to be like Nottinghamshire - we just have to grin and bear it.

"It's just all up in the air at the moment.

"I want clarity, to know what I'm dealing with and when the next step will be - I think I speak for everyone in the hospitality industry [when I say] we're worried about where the next pay check will come from."

Image source, The Tap

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

As Charnwood in Leicestershire faces moving into tier two, the leader of the borough council has suggested people start following the guidelines from today rather than waiting until the weekend.

Councillor Jonathan Morgan, said: “The rising number of cases in Charnwood means further restrictions are unavoidable and therefore it is imperative that we all act now to protect lives and livelihoods.

“There has been a significant number of cases related to the university in Loughborough but this is a problem across the borough and there is a particular concern about the number of cases in the over 60s, which is above the national average. If you are in this age category, please take extra care."

Image source, Google

Figures from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) showed that Charnwood's weekly rate of infections stands at 439 people per 100,000.

This increases to 1,755.4 per 100,000 in those aged 17-21 and is 177 per 100,000 in the over 60s.

Leicestershire County Council’s director of public health, Mike Sandys, encouraged people to ‘do the right thing’.

He said: “It’s clear that figures are still rising in Charnwood so this is a sensible move. Cases are very high in the 17-21 age range, while rates among over-60s have trebled since the end of September, and this is driving the figures."