Covid-19: Cambridgeshire moves to tougher tier 2 restrictions

The Covid-19 rate in Cambridge has halved week-on-week

Cambridgeshire will be in tier two when England's second lockdown ends on 2 December, it has been announced.

The county had been in tier one - the lowest tier - prior to the latest shutdown but will move up to match much of the rest of the country.

It means households cannot mix indoors and the rule of six applies outdoors.

Pubs and bars can only open if they serve substantial meals and limited numbers of spectators will be allowed at sports events.

Shops, gyms and personal care services, such as hairdressing salons, can reopen if they are Covid-secure.

• What are the new tiers and lockdown rules?

In a written statement, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was an "improving picture" across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough but the case rate was "still high" at 123 cases per 100,000 people.

Peterborough has the highest rate in Cambridgeshire, with 207.7 cases per 100,000 people

Conservative MP Anthony Browne said he was "disappointed" his South Cambridgeshire constituency had been categorised in tier two.

He added: "The government has categorised the whole of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough together, and the rates are pushed up by much higher levels of infection in Cambridge City and Peterborough."

But the Liberal Democrat leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Bridget Smith, said it was "absolutely not the time to be divisive and to blame other districts for the tier we find ourselves in".

"It is the time to follow the experts' advice. South Cambridgeshire wraps all around Cambridge city with many people living or working in both districts so it would be ludicrous for us to be in different tiers," she said.

Meanwhile, the Conservative leader of Huntingdonshire District Council, Ryan Fuller, said his area had one of the lowest infection rates in the country.

Ryan Fuller said Huntingdonshire District Council was "disappointed to be in a higher tier of restrictions than prior to lockdown"

Mr Fuller said: "I sympathise with many who feel frustrated with the continuation of restrictions; however, we have come too far to give up now and we must therefore continue to follow national guidance for the tier we are in."

Conservative Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly said he would need to see the government's evidence for putting his constituency into tier two before MPs get a chance to vote on the new rules.

The Labour MP for Cambridge, Daniel Zeichner, called for a package of economic support to the "many Cambridge pubs, bars and restaurants" who were "desperately worried as we enter the crucial Christmas period".

Stuart Clements, who runs the White Horse Pub in Eaton Socon, said he hoped to be in tier one but was not surprised to be in tier two.

Stuart Clements runs the White Horse Pub in Eaton Socon

He said: "The biggest implication is you can't have social groups mixing so where a group of six friends might come out to enjoy an evening's food and drink and maybe some music, those six people can't now sit together on one table.

"Whilst we'll still get families coming out for dinner, because you can't mix social groups unless you're in the same support bubble, it will have an implication on those people coming out."