Amy Woodfield
BBC News

A West Bridgford bar is being monitored by the council after customers collecting takeaways were seen gathering outside.

Zinc, on Central Avenue, was forced to close last year after people were seen inside freely mixing between groups and shaking hands.

The owner has previously been fined for failing to put NHS Test and Trace measures in place and for allowing customers to consume food and drink on the premises when only takeaways were permitted.

Rushcliffe Borough Council said patrols spotted groups of people gathering outside the premises while collecting takeaway meals, contrary to tier 4 regulations which were in place at the time.

Image source, Rushcliffe Borough Council

The authority said it was not the only bar in the town where this behaviour had been witnessed.

Councillor Rob Inglis said it was "not acceptable, nor will it be tolerated" and that individuals must also take personal responsibility.

He said breaches of restrictions were being monitored "very closely" alongside Nottinghamshire Police.

The authority said no bars were fined on this occasion but have been logged by its environmental health team.

The owners of Zinc have been approached for comment.

BBC Radio Nottingham

NHS bosses in Nottinghamshire have said more than 500 patients are in hospital with coronavirus - the highest since the start of the pandemic.

They said Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) and City Hospital had more than 300 coronavirus-related admissions in a week and Kingsmill Hospital had turned operating theatres into wards to increase critical care capacity.

Medical director Dr Keith Girling, from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said the third lockdown for the country was "really important" as some patients had been admitted with the new strain.

"Increasing numbers come in each day and we're expecting those numbers to continue to climb," he said.

"We are coping, but our hospitals are stretched. We absolutely need to see people comply with the lockdown in order to bring those numbers down."

Dr Girling added that staff have been "amazing", but were "weary" as they have been dealing with the pandemic for a year.

Image source, Getty Images

QMC intensive care consultant Dr Dan Harvey told the BBC, the emotional burden of working through the outbreak was tough on staff, as many have witnessed conversations between dying Covid patients and their loved ones.

"Obviously, they come into the job to try and save people's lives - do the best they can for them, but unfortunately that's not always possible," he added.

BBC Weather Watchers

Another mixed day today with spells of rain and showers in places, some sunny spells at times too and a dusting of snow.

If you're lucky you could have some decent sunshine.

Weather Watcher Mama KiKi woke up to the white stuff this morning in Sutton in Ashfield.

Be careful as a yellow weather warning of ice has been issued until 11:00 for the region.

Image source, Mama KiKi

Hugh Casswell
Political reporter, BBC Radio Nottingham

The first Covid vaccination centre in Nottinghamshire outside of major hospitals opened today at Ashfield Health Village in Kirkby in Ashfield.

Eric Gent was one of the first to receive a jab, and the 81-year-old said the process was "very straightforward".

Other centres across the county will open in the coming weeks. Health bosses say residents should wait to receive a letter before contacting the NHS for a jab.

Image source, Ashfield District Council

A group of 11 men in three cars were fined for driving from London to the Peak District.

Wycombe Wanderers sign Leicester City striker Admiral Muskwe on loan for the rest of the Championship campaign.

Jo Healey
East Midlands Today

Life has carried on as normal for the children attending nurseries.

Unlike schools, colleges and universities, they haven’t been told to shut their doors, instead they’ve been asked to keep them open.

Staff at a nursery in Beeston today told me that they understand people may have concerns, but overwhelmingly there was a feeling of support from parents about what they were doing.

However, the boss of the nursery did call on the government to do more to help protect her staff.

She said there needs to be testing for staff and they should also be prioritised when it comes to getting vaccinations.

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

Bus operators serving the region have confirmed there will be no changes to their services following the national lockdown announcement.

Companies including Trentbarton, Arriva, First Leicester, Kinchbus, and Hulleys of Baslow, have said they will continue to operate as normal until further notice.

Image source, Press Association

Stagecoach said on Facebook: "For now, our buses are running to their current timetable but you can keep up to date with any changes by checking our website, following your local team on Twitter and keeping an eye out on here."

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

An organisation representing businesses in the East Midlands has said after a "desperate 2020... a third national lockdown is another devastating blow to business confidence".

The East Midlands Chamber's chief executive Scott Knowles said: "It follows hard on the heels of lost trade during the festive season – not to mention the uncertainty that prevailed up until the eleventh hour of the Brexit transition period.

“The government’s need to act in the face of spiralling threat to public health is obviously understood but after already spending billions on helping good firms to survive this crisis and save jobs, it must not let these companies fail now when the vaccine roll-out provides light at the end of this long, dark tunnel."

Image source, Getty Images

He said the chancellor’s announcement of a one-off £9,000 grant for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will "hopefully help keep their heads above water for a couple more months".

However, Mr Knowles added: "Westminster must remember financial support – while certainly welcomed and required – is no substitute for a fully open economy that allows businesses to generate their own revenue.

“It’s now time for the government to open the lines of communication with businesses by sharing its plan for how the brakes will be lifted on the economy over the coming months to allow businesses to plan properly.”

Gavin Bevis
BBC News

Notts County's National League match at Eastleigh has been postponed, external due to a positive Covid-19 case in the south coast side's camp.

The game had been due to take place on Saturday but will now be rearranged for a later date.

Image source, Getty Images

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

A new coronavirus testing facility which the council said was easy to access without a car has opened today.

Derby City Council said testing at the walk-through site at the Sussex Circus Housing Office, Chaddesden, was only available for those with coronavirus symptoms.

Anyone with one or more of the symptoms - a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste - can book a test online or by calling 119.

Image source, Amanda Solloway

A council spokesperson said those being tested would be required to follow public health measures including social distancing, not travelling by taxi or public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering.

The centre has opened as part of the government’s UK-wide drive to continue to improve the accessibility of coronavirus testing for local communities.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A head teacher has said her school would continue to be an important resource for all children, even while they cannot attend.

Image source, Google

Kerry Hill, from Eyres Monsell Primary School in Leicester, said: "Our school is still here for the children providing remote learning.

"We will still provide food hampers for those families, who are struggling. We're still on the end of a phone for parents because they're really anxious.We're still supporting our community."

Jo Healey
East Midlands Today

A nursery owner has called for more support to keep her staff safe after primaries and secondaries were closed but early years settings were left open.

Roopam Carroll, of Beeston Nursery in Nottinghamshire, said they should be helped to carry out weekly asymptomatic testing and asked for nursery staff to be put on the priority list for vaccines.

She said she believed it was important to keep early years settings open but pointed out she and her staff were putting themselves at risk and you "cannot socially distance" with young children, despite a raft of safety measures they have put in.

She said: "If they're going to be risking their health every day looking after children and helping our society keep moving, the least we can do is give them the protection that is available."

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

Universities across the region have said they are working out how the national lockdown will impact their staff and students.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said students studying some courses, external, including medicine, dentistry, education and social work should return to face-to-face learning as planned and be tested twice upon arrival or self-isolate for 10 days.

However, he said students on other courses should remain where they are wherever possible and start their term online, until at least Mid-February.

In a letter to staff and students, the University of Nottingham's deputy vice-chancellor Prof Andy Long, said: "University staff and postgraduate researchers should work and research from home where at all possible.

"However, work and research that cannot reasonably be carried out at home can continue in our Covid-secure campus buildings."

Image source, Getty Images

The University of Leicester said in an email to students: "It is clear that we must make further changes to our operations to support the national effort and keep our community safe, but we need some time to digest the detail of the new restrictions."

They said they will review this today and then let students know how they will "continue to provide the very best education and support we can during this challenging time".

Nottingham Trent University, the University of Derby and De Montfort University, in Leicester, all said they will contact students and staff with updates today.

David Pittam
BBC News Online

The coronavirus infection rate has increased in every part of the East Midlands over the past week and has almost doubled in Derby.

The below figures show the infection rate per 100,000 people in each local authority area in the week up to 31 December.

They also show how much it has increased in each area compared with the week leading up to 24 December.

England's rate of infection is 537.5 per 100,000, an increase of 30%.

Nottinghamshire

Ashfield - 492.5, up by 71%

Mansfield - 390.6, up by 54%

Gedling - 358.8, up by 30%

Nottingham - 345.7, up by 58%

Broxtowe - 317.5, up by 55%

Rushcliffe - 306.2, up by 32%

Newark and Sherwood - 276.1, up by 18%

Bassetlaw - 275, up by 13%

Leicestershire

Oadby and Wigston - 492.9, up by 31%

Leicester - 427.7, up by 38%

Harborough - 400.8, up by 54%

Blaby - 347.7, up by 49%

North West Leicestershire - 311.7, up by 40%

Melton - 291, up by 20%

Hinckley and Bosworth - 274.9, up by 17%

Charnwood - 272.3, up by 25%

Rutland - 220.4, up by 19%

Image source, Google

Derbyshire

Amber Valley - 467.4, up by 39%

Derby - 465.6, up by 73%

South Derbyshire - 337.5, up by 22%

Bolsover - 333.9, up by 42%

Erewash - 306.8, up by 66%

North East Derbyshire - 289.8, up by 38%

Chesterfield - 232.6, up by 26%

High Peak - 224.5, up by 41%

Derbyshire Dales - 200.5, up by 20%

Simon Ward
East Midlands Today Reporter

Some primary schools opened in the East Midlands for the first day of term yesterday, others were due to open today.

For most families that all changed last night when the government announced the third national lock down.

Now schools will only be open for the children of key workers or more vulnerable children. For everyone else it’s back to homeschooling with lessons online.

Karl Stewart, head of Shaftesbury Junior School in Leicester, said he was pleased with the way people were adjusting.

“So far there’s been positive, nice comments from parents and we’ve had really good attendance for accessing online lessons," he said.

However, he has been more critical of the government's timing in terms of the latest lockdown, saying there was "a lot of anger and frustration" from school leaders.

Jeremy Ball
Social affairs correspondent, BBC East Midlands Today

I’ve been speaking to a number of different youth projects across the East Midlands and the feeling is a very bleak picture is getting worse.

One in Leicester said they feel the current restrictions have already taken a big toll on the youngsters that come to their community centre.

Another in Nottingham said the new announcements really have hit their work hard.

Image source, PA Media

They’ve been working hard with different activities and counselling sessions to help improve the mental well-being of those that visit them.

They said they’ve never seen so many young people looking so bleak and it feels there really is no light at the end of the tunnel with news of this new lockdown.

BBC Radio Leicester

As schools close for most children until at least after February half-term, a Leicester child psychologist said it could be a difficult time for young people but parents can help.

"Exercise helps, you're allowed to go for walks," Dr Lynn Moore told the BBC.

"Get out there. Young children put your wellingtons on and go and find some puddles.

"All of these things are going to be helpful, but parents be patient, be kind and give that comforting presence."

Samantha Noble
BBC News Online

Derby City Council leader Chris Poulter has called for people to "work our hardest to do the right thing for Derby and stay home except for essential reasons".

He said: "While none of us would wish for further restrictions, these latest measures are unfortunately necessary for us to regain control over the virus."

Mr Poulter added he hoped the nationwide vaccination programme and imminent roll-out of community testing "will help Derby to reduce transmission and move away from severe restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so".

"In the meantime, do remember that there is always help and support available for those who need it in Derby through our support grants and Derby’s Community Hub, external," he said.

Sonia Kataria
BBC News

A deputy head of a Leicestershire primary school said teachers were "prepared and happy" for children to return to the classroom.

Felicity Knight, of St Charles Primary School in Measham, said: "[The lockdown] was short notice and a bit of a shock.

"I was on an inset day with all the teachers yesterday and we were all set and prepared for children turning up today to be in class and learning in class and now it's all back online.

"In our school we were happy to be back and happy to welcome the children back into the classroom."

However, she said the school had planned for remote learning and a "full online timetable".

Image source, PA Media

Ms Knight added that there were "tears last night" from her five-year-old daughter after the late decision to close schools following a two week break.

"My little girl was all set to go to school... then you've got to tell them something different," she said.

"The prime minister saying things so late is messing with people's mental wellbeing."