Summary

  • News updates from Liverpool City Region as it prepares to face new Covid restrictions from Wednesday

  • The area will face the strictest rules under a new government "three-tier" system

  • Latest figures show high rates of Covid-19 in all six LCR boroughs

Live Reporting

  1. Thanks for joining us

    That completes our live page coverage this afternoon, but please head over to the BBC's main Covid-19 live page to keep up to date with the latest on the new coronavirus restrictions, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson's press briefing, which is due to begin at 19:00.

    You could also check out everything you need to know about today's developments by following the link below.

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  2. What are the new restrictions?

    The government has issued the detail of the new restrictions for the Liverpool City Region, which are as follows:

    • Pubs and bars will close - they can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant, which means serving substantial meals, like a main evening meal, and may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal
    • Indoor gyms and fitness/dance studios, sports facilities, leisure centres, betting shops, adult gaming centres and casinos will close
    • Wedding receptions will not be permitted
    • People should try to avoid travelling outside their local area, or entering another area rated "very high" other than for work, education, accessing youth services or to meet caring responsibilities
    • People should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK if they are resident in the Liverpool City Region and avoid staying overnight in the Liverpool City Region if they are resident elsewhere
    New restrictions

  3. Coronavirus measures 'a slap in the teeth'

    Labour's Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, has said tougher coronavirus restrictions are a "slap in the teeth" without a better financial package.

  4. Liverpool faces 'ominous winter ahead'

    Business owners in Merseyside say they are fearful for the future after the government unveiled a new three-tier lockdown system for England.

    Keith HaggisKeith's Food & Wine Bar

    Managers have spoken of their heartbreak, anger and confusion over the latest announcement of measures to tackle to spread of Covid-19.

    Gareth Morgan, who runs independent pub Dead Crafty Beer Co in Liverpool city centre, said closing pubs was "devastating" and would "really hurt, if not ruin" the industry.

    Keith Haggis, owner of Keith's Food & Wine Bar in Liverpool, thinks allowing restaurants to remain open is "disastrous".

    Read more here.

  5. Region to get £14m for NHS Test and Trace and local enforcement

    The government has confirmed Liverpool City Region will receive £14m to enhance enforcement and NHS Test and Trace.

    Local leaders will be able to use this for a range of activities, including compliance and enforcement, enhanced contact tracing and support for the clinically extremely vulnerable.

    They will also be able to call on the armed forces to provide additional logistical support if necessary.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

    I am hugely grateful to local leaders in the Liverpool City Region for the constructive discussions this weekend over the further steps we will take together to combat coronavirus.

    They will be critical to save lives and protect the NHS.

  6. St Helens MP urges government to publish evidence

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  7. Rules could see people 'move jobs and never return'

    Gym owner Connor O'Brien fears the new restrictions may mean people "move to other jobs and never come back".

  8. 'It is very serious and it is very real'

    BBC News Health

    Hospitals across the north of England are seeing a significant increase in the number of patients being admitted with Covid-19.

    Nadine McStein

    Nadine McStein is ward manager on a respiratory ward at Whiston Hospital in Knowsley - an area where admissions could reach the same level as at the peak of the pandemic within 10 days.

    She describes the challenges for staff during the first wave - and now.

  9. 'Parties won't stop - at least hospitality was controlled'

    The chairman of Liverpool's pub watch, John Hughes, said he is "angry" at the new restrictions for pubs in the region and that people will resort to illegal parties as supermarkets can continue to sell alcohol after 22:00.

    He said:

    Supermarkets get away with absolute murder being able to sell after 10 o'clock.

    They're selling a crate of beer of 20 bottles for £12.

    People are just going to have parties, there's going to be illegal stuff going on, nothing going to stop.

    At least with the hospitality, everything was controlled.

  10. Southport MP questions gym closure

    Southport's Conservative MP Damien Moore has questioned why gyms should close under new restrictions in the Liverpool City Region as "being fit is one of the key ways to fight Covid".

    MP Damien MooreUK Parliament

    He said he will be asking the government for more evidence behind the decision.

    He also refuted the allegation that local Labour leaders have not been consulted on the restrictions and said it was "exactly" what some of them have been calling for.

  11. Government 'a little late to react'

    BBC Radio 4

    Sage scientist Prof Calum Semple has warned that the new restrictions have come too late and a "circuit-breaker" could be needed within weeks.

    Asked if the level of response announced for London is sufficient for the threat, the University of Liverpool academic told BBC Radio 4's PM he was "going to be difficult and say no, I think we’re a little late to react".

    He said there was a three-to-four-week delay before interventions see benefits in hospitals, adding:

    I and other people who were advocating for quite stringent severe local interventions where necessary three to four weeks ago, our fear is now that we’re in another place now.

    And that we’re going to need a much firmer intervention perhaps, the so-called circuit-breaker, in the matter of weeks.

    The outbreak is a bit like a supertanker, you put the brakes on, but it takes a long time before you see the effect.

  12. Restrictions 'heartbreaking' for gym owner

    A gym owner in Huyton said the new restrictions were "heartbreaking" as so many people were "already on the brink and living off their overdraft".

    "So many businesses are closing and people losing their jobs and even their homes," Ashley Hughes said.

    Ashley HughesBodytorque

    The 33-year-old said gyms took a "massive hit" and this year has been the worst year in the nine years his business Bodytorque has been open.

    His takings were 50% down on last year, he said.

    I got a grant during lockdown but that just about covered the rent during the four months we were shut.

    He said after reopening, people were reluctant to return as people were "cutting back" on their finances.

    He said it was "very worrying" for gyms but also for people's well-being, as a "lot of people who use my gym do it to improve their mental health".

  13. MP: Region needs 'much more effective track, trace and isolate system'

    Labour's Sir George Howarth has asked the prime minister whether a test, trace and isolate taskforce could be set up for the Liverpool City region.

    The MP for Knowsley said:

    The Prime Minister is aware that if we are to tackle these horrendous rises in Covid-19 in the Liverpool City region, we need a much more effective track, trace and isolate system, but we haven’t got one yet.

    Will he accept my suggestion that we establish a Liverpool City region test, trace and isolate taskforce... to report by the end of this week with suggestions as to how the unused NHS capacity that exists could be used more effectively so that we have a proper test, trace and isolate system in place?”

    Boris Johnson replied that the government was "already working with the Liverpool City region on improving local test and trace and I think his suggestion is very apt".

  14. 'Arbitrary' decision is 'bitter blow' to casino

    The boss of a casino chain has called the stricter restrictions in Liverpool a "bitter blow" to his staff and customers.

    Grosvenor Casino, LiverpoolGoogle

    Managing Director at Grosvenor Casinos, Jonathon Swaine, said:

    There is no scientific justification whatsoever behind this decision.

    It is arbitrary, contradictory and will do little to suppress the spread of the virus, but will severely impact the viability of fundamentally safe venues.

    This decision, along with further restrictions planned for hospitality venues elsewhere across the North West, has already come at a huge cost and hundreds of jobs are once again under serious threat.

  15. Councils will publish guidelines 'as we know more'

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  16. Coronavirus rates in Liverpool City Region

    As the prime minister announces Liverpool City Region will go under new strict coronavirus restrictions from Wednesday, the latest figures showing the number of cases have been released.

    In the week leading up to 9 October, the rate of cases per 100,000 people in each of the six council areas were:

    • Knowsley - 669.5
    • Liverpool - 598.5
    • Sefton - 418.6
    • St Helens - 387.6
    • Halton - 381.7
    • Wirral - 286.1

  17. Liverpool City Region 'told, not asked' to enter very high alert

    David Baines, the Labour leader of St Helens Council, has tweeted that Liverpool City Region was "told, not asked" to move into the highest tier of the government's new coronavirus restrictions system.

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  18. 'It's about being sensible'

    People in Liverpool city centre have been giving their reaction to facing new restrictions.

  19. PM says more financial support for wages, Test and Trace and local enforcement

    In his statement, the Prime Minister said local authorities would have access to £1bn of new support on top of the £3.6bn Towns Fund and there would be local financial support for NHS Test and Trace and local enforcement.

    Boris Johnson pointed towards the already-announced "unprecendented" financial support package that Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled, which essentially replaced the furlough scheme from earlier in the year.

    It will cover two-thirds of the wages for employees of businesses forced to close by virus restrictions.

    For areas on "very high" alert, such as Liverpool City Region, there will be further financial support for improved contract tracing, he added.

    He thanked the region's mayor Steve Rotheram for his co-operation and appealed to local authorities to work with the government on "difficult but necessary measures".

  20. Musicians hold silent protest in heart of Liverpool's music scene

    Musicians in Liverpool have held a silent protest as new coronavirus lockdown restrictions on the city are announced.

    They gathered in Mathew Street, home to the Cavern Club made famous by the Beatles, in protest over lack of financial support for the music industry.

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