Covid: South Yorkshire tier 3 move will be 'short, sharp shock'

Deborah Walker said she felt sorry for South Yorkshire's businesses

"I think we need a short, sharp shock and if everyone gets on board that's what it will be and we'll come out of it all better off."

That is the verdict of one shopper in Barnsley to the news South Yorkshire will be the next part of England plunged into tier three restrictions.

New rules will mean pubs and bars which do not serve substantial meals have to close, and there are further restrictions on households mixing.

Additional measures from Saturday include the closure of betting shops, adult gaming centres, casinos, soft play centres and gym classes - although gyms will remain open.

'We need to get it under control'

Deborah Walker hopes the move will help the region get on top of Covid and allow it to emerge stronger sooner rather than later.

She said: "I think we need a short, sharp shock and if everyone gets on board that's what it will be and we'll go into it and come out of it all better off.

"I do feel sorry [for businesses] but it's necessary.

"We need to get it under control."

Some in Barnsley town centre said they were "worried" about what the measures would mean while others felt the tier three move was "good news" because too many people had not been following the rules.

Infection rates have continued to rise and Barnsley had the highest figures in the four South Yorkshire local authority areas last week, with 415 positive Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people.

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Chloe Watkins said the tier three decision was necessary because "nobody is following the rules".

"It should have happened a couple of weeks ago, it's definitely a good thing," the Leeds Beckett University student said.

"People are not doing what they should do.

"If people use their common sense, and do what they should do, we'd be fine but they're not."

Chloe Watkins (right) said South Yorkshire should be put in tier three because "nobody is following the rules"

Pensioner Maureen said young people would suffer most in the long-term.

"I think it's all ridiculous," she said. "I'm 83....I've not got all that many years left of me and I'm not going to be fastened in a house when the government have got it all wrong.

"How can we get the country back on its feet money-wise?

"By the end of this year there's going to be millions of people unemployed and do you know who's going to pay for it? All the young ones."

Maureen believes young people will suffer most from restrictions

Eric Roland, 84, said it was "good" that South Yorkshire was heading into tier three but described the current situation as "worse than World War Two".

He said he thought going into the top tier of restrictions would "help sort it out" but criticised people for failing to follow rules on wearing masks in pubs and shops.

"Why don't we have to wear them outside, permanently?" Mr Roland said.

"I'm 84, we lived through World War Two. This is worse really."

Eric Roland, 84, said he was fed up of other people not wearing masks

The new rules in South Yorkshire will come into force from 00:01 BST on Saturday.

Local leaders have agreed to a financial package of £41m, which includes £30m to support businesses and £11m for public health measures like contact tracing.

Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis said it was the "responsible route" and that "inaction was not an option" after its hospital admissions doubled in 10 days.