David Pittam
BBC News Online

Muahmmed Jonaid, 36, from Aspley, admitted he was unclear what the tier three rules were - and believed he was not alone.

He said: "I think a lot of people aren't even sure of the rules in the different tiers. The difference between them baffles me."

He added: "Looking at how busy it is here now [in Nottingham city centre] it feels like we're in tier three [rather than a national lockdown] already, I'd rather just stay in this."

A full breakdown of the rules for 2 December onwards is available here.

BBC Radio Derby

The owner of six pubs which are all in a tier three area said "it’s hard for me to digest what has happened today".

Connie Eleftheriou, who has four pubs in Derbyshire and two in Warwickshire – all called The Bubble Inn - said: “I was expecting tier two - I wasn’t expecting tier three.

"Tier two would have been very difficult anyway."

He added: "I think the government have everything completely wrong and back to front.

"I think it is all ridiculous to be honest with you. I am not just thinking about myself. I'm thinking of customers, OAPs, people who suffer with anxiety and depression. It’s not doing anyone any favours.

"They’ve opened London up… they’ve put them in tier two. It’s ridiculous."

Image source, Connie Eleftheriou

Mr Eleftheriou said running a takeaway service – which is the only option available for him to keep trading in this highest tier - does not work for him.

He said: “For us to be charging takeaway prices and offering restaurant quality, it just isn’t worth it."

Tony Roe
BBC East Midlands political editor

So now we know. But the political chorus is how do we get out of ‘very high’ tier three?

People living in Leicester know more than anyone how hard it is to escape Covid-19 restrictions because they’ve been stuck with them since March.

The Shadow Health Secretary, Jon Ashworth, is also a Leicester MP and in the Commons he asked "what is the exit strategy?!"

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary said it’s "to keep the virus suppressed with minimum damage to the economy and education". He did concede Mr Ashworth’s suggestion of some sort of scorecard so people could have a point to aim for might be a good idea.

The Conservative leader of Derbyshire County Council, Barry Lewis, made a last ditch plea to the Prime Minister last night for Derbyshire to be placed in tier two for the sake of the hospitality and tourism businesses.

He is frustrated that the decision comes as the spread of the virus is slowing, but the announcement has been made, and now all wait to see if the new tiers make enough of a difference to escape tier three on 16 December - to perhaps bring a bit more cheer before the Five Days of Christmas.

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Rick Blackmore, East Midlands director of the Confederation of British Industry, said going into toughened tiers while waiting for a vaccine to be rolled out would feel like "suspended animation" for businesses in the region.

“Some parts of the economy, such as retail, can begin to reopen and look towards a recovery," he said.

"It gives our high streets a chance to rescue some of the vital festive trading period.

“But for other businesses the ongoing restrictions in tiers two and three will leave their survival hanging by a thread.

"Hospitality will remain frozen and supply chains that cross regions in different tiers will be hit even if they don’t face direct restrictions."

“It’s vital that these firms receive the financial support they need to make it through to the spring.

"Clarity about ongoing employment support, including the Job Retention Bonus, will help protect as many jobs as possible.

"Businesses need to know what support will be there through to March and beyond in advance, rather than taking it down to the wire."

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Pat West, 63, from Newark, said she was upset and confused about Nottinghamshire being made subject to the tightest restrictions.

"It's terrible. I don't understand why we're in tier three," she said.

"Being in it does make a difference - I work in cafes and they're mostly closed and takeaway doesn't need as many people."

Image source, PA Media

Ms West also expressed sadness about the prospect of missing out on family memories.

She said: "I'm really disappointed. My grandchildren can't come round to see me at home, I'm not seeing them grow up."

PA Media

Stuart Towers, who owns the Market Tavern in Leicester city centre, believes the latest tier restrictions are "scaremongering".

"You tell me now how I can go shopping at Morrisons with 300 people and not open my pub," he said.

"What are the grounds of keeping pubs shut?

"We've spent hundreds if not thousands on being Covid-safe. What are we supposed to do?"

Image source, Google

Mr Towers, 55, is not confident his pub will be open before Christmas.

"It all feels a bit personal," he added.

"It feels like pubs are being used as a scapegoat. Even if I went into tier two I can't open because I don't do food.

"If we don't get out of it by the end of January I'll be packing up.

"I've got more angry over the last few weeks. I don't want help, I just want to run my businesses.

"Just common sense, that's all I'm asking for."

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Claire Elms, who is celebrating her 35th birthday today by buying herself a doughnut as she "can't do anything else", is not surprised by the government's announcement for Nottingham.

"It's sad at this time of year," she said. "I live on my own and I want to get out and meet my friends.

"At least with the rule of six in parks I can go back to meeting people for dog walks."

The government says Derby and Derbyshire will move into tier three when the national lockdown ends.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

The government must spell out how areas can get out of tier three, Labour MP for Leicester South Jon Ashworth has said.

The shadow health secretary said: "There are now parts of the country, like my own city Leicester, that have been under a form of lockdown for months and months and months, where families have been forced apart, where grandparents haven't seen their grandchildren.

"Those families will want to know what the exit strategy is and what voice they will have on that strategy."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the latest tier announcements were part of an exit strategy.

He said: "It is to keep this virus suppressed with the minimum damage possible to the economy and indeed to education."

The government confirms Leicester and Leicestershire will move up to tier three when the national lockdown ends.

Carol Hinds
Reporter, BBC East Midlands Today

A week before the second national lockdown began, Derby and most of Derbyshire were in tier two.

This is why Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people will be disappointed to find themselves in the top tier of restrictions.

His explanation for the move is that there have been improvements in the area but infection rates remain high and this is putting pressure on the local NHS.

The government hopes to review the new tier restrictions by December 16.

Image source, PA Media

The measures will come into effect after the four-week national lockdown.

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

The MP for Rutland and Melton said she is pleased about the decision to put Rutland under tier two restrictions.

Alicia Kearns said: "I welcome that Rutland has been respected as the independent county it is and therefore tiered separately.

"I made daily representations over the last two weeks to ministers to ensure that Rutland would be separately tiered.

"I’m deeply disappointed that Melton and Harborough have been grouped with all of Leicestershire county.

Image source, Alicia Kearns

"Although our rates are above the national average, they are far below Leicester city."

Ms Kearns has urged residents to get tested for Covid and to follow the rules where they live.

She said: "If we get our rates down this will help me make the case to separate Melton from the rest of our county or at least Leicester city come 16 December."

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Mandy Middlecote, 44, from Beeston, said: "I am not surprised we're in tier three - cases are still pretty high.

"Me and my family are keeping to ourselves so tier two or three doesn't make much difference.

"It would have been nice for the kids to be able to go and play with their friends, but we want to see our family at Christmas so we have to limit things, so it won't make much difference."

David Pittam
BBC News Online

Lia Primrose (pictured left) is studying health and social care at college.

The 17-year-old said: "It just feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth after cases went down so much. I work as a waitress so it'll affect me - I can't go back to work now.

"We watched the announcement in class and he actually said tier two first, then said 'oh sorry, tier three'. It was the biggest heartbreak.

"My age group is in a weird place - we're at an age where we're expected to get Christmas presents for people but we don't have the money because we can't work. It's a bit peak."

Her classmate, Poppi West, also 17, added:" It's annoying that we keep going in and out - it feels like we're going round in circles.

"I know it's not the biggest issue but we're both nearly 18 and we won't be able to go out and have a drink to celebrate. It's just a bit sad."

Helen Astle
BBC East Midlands Today reporter

The Christmas lights might be up in Leicester, but let's be honest, not many people are going to see them.

It has the title that no city wants - it has been in Covid-restrictive measures for longer than anywhere else in the country.

There have been nearly 17,000 confirmed cases here since the start of the pandemic.

Image source, PA Media

Today's news from health secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed what Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby and many people here feared - that the city is going into the highest tier.

That's tough news for those here and means it has been eight months since people have not been allowed to have family and friends in their homes.

Giles Taylor
BBC East Midlands Today reporter

Nottingham will be placed into tier three from Wednesday and of course the city has been here before.

After the students returned in September, Nottingham saw a massive increase in rates and was in fact the highest affected area in the country for some time.

Since then, the rates have been steadily falling and the hope was locally that they would avoid the worst restrictions this time round after lockdown but it appears that is not going to be the case.

Meanwhile, outside of the city, Nottinghamshire will also be going into tier three.

Again, rates have been steadily falling in recent weeks but they are still quite high in some parts of the county, particularly in the north.

Politicians there have been appealing for them to avoid the worst of the measures but this lunchtime it appears those appeals have fallen on deaf ears.

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen says news the city is staying in tier three after the lockdown is a "bitter blow" for people who have followed the rules and helped bring down the rate of Covid infections from the highest in the country to below the national average.

“We had hoped that this would have meant we would be spared going into tier three and the extra restrictions that come with that being imposed on local people and struggling local businesses," he said.

However, he said the falling infection rate in the city means "the hope must be that we could be into tier two before Christmas".

Image source, PA Media

Sandish Shoker
BBC News

The leader of Derbyshire County Council, Barry Lewis, has said he is "disappointed" at the decision to place the county in tier three.

Mr Lewis, along with other council leaders, wrote to the Prime Minister yesterday urging him to consider placing Derbyshire in tier three in order to protect the economy and especially the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Following the announcement, he tweeted: "Disappointed for our tourism, hospitality, retail sectors and others who will be economically impacted before Xmas.

"Epidemiology tells us we’re in upper tier three and declining - in a few days we’d have been squarely tier two."

Image source, Barry Lewis

Amy Woodfield
BBC News

Public Health England (PHE) has praised Nottingham for its "phenomenal progress " in reducing Covid cases since entering tier three restrictions before the national lockdown.

Matt Day, deputy director for the region, said the city had managed to almost halve its rate of infection.

He also praised the rest of the East Midlands, saying it was also seeing an improvement.

Image source, Getty Images

He said: "Incredible progress has been made in the East Midlands, certainly over the past few weeks since national lockdown has come into effect.

"We've seen just in the last week an approximately 23% decline in our rates, but nonetheless they are still high in the East Midlands.

"Our rate is 261 per 100,000 whereas the England rate is around 218."

Nearly all of the East Midlands will enter the top tier of coronavirus restrictions after the national lockdown ends.

Mr Day said the "slightly stricter measures" were needed to drive down the infection rate further and ease the pressure on health services.