Devon placed in Tier 2 restrictions - what does this mean for you?

Devon will be placed under Tier 2 COVID restrictions when lockdown ends on December 2.

This means the county will facer stricter rules than before the second national lockdown, when it was in the more relaxed Tier 1.

Devon MPs called for the county to be placed back in Tier 1 earlier this week, but it has now been confirmed that it will be in Tier 2 along with the majority of England, including major cities such as London and Liverpool, and neighbouring counties Dorset and Somerset.

Commenting on the decision, Honiton & Tiverton MP Neil Parish said: "I am glad that retail can reopen in our area ahead of Christmas, including our markets like in Tiverton Town Centre, and I am also glad our pubs serving meals and our restaurants can open too.

"The package of measures is also welcome so people can go back to church, play sport and do a lot more than under lockdown. I think everyone will be keen to review the tiers regularly and see if we can move down into Tier 1."

The government launched an online tool to find out which tier you are in, but this repeatedly crashed this morning due to "technical difficulties".

It was eventually confirmed that Devon would be under Tier 2 restrictions, as Health Secretary Matt Hancock addressed the House of Commons.

What will the new tier system mean for Devon residents?

All tiers:

• The tiers will have a uniform set of rules, there will be no negotiations by different regions
• Everyone should work from home if they can
• Shops and personal care services can open
• Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities remain open
• Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children and childcare bubbles allowed
• Indoor leisure – gyms and swimming – can open
• Elite sport, under-18 sport and disabled sport can continue
• Police will get new powers to close down premises breaking the rules

Tier 2:

• No mixing of households indoors apart from support bubbles. This includes private households and public venues, such as pubs and restaurants. The rule of six applies outdoors
• Pubs and bars must close unless operating as restaurants, and hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
• Last orders at 10pm, close by 11pm
• Reduce the numbers of journeys made and avoid travel into Tier 3 areas
• Overnight stays permitted with your household or support bubble
• Accommodation open
• Places of worship open but people cannot interact with anyone outside their household or support bubble
• Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests
• Funerals can have 30 guests
• Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but not indoors if there is any interaction between different households
• Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events can take place with 50% capacity, or 2,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower) – social distancing applies

Reaction from local leaders

Cllr John Hart, leader of Devon County Council, said he was disappointed by the announcement and renewed his appeal for people to abide by the guidelines to give the county the best chance of dropping into Tier 1 when the first review takes place in two weeks' time.

He said: "Devon has done well so far in keeping case numbers relatively low and I would like to thank everyone for their actions during the latest lockdown, so I'm disappointed that we have been placed in Tier 2.

"It's even more vital now that we all stick to the guidelines and maintain social distance, wash our hands regularly and wear masks where required so we can get cases down and get into Tier 1.

"And working with MPs and Team Devon partners I will be strongly lobbying the Government to provide tailored support for our hard-hit hospitality industry, which is losing out significantly during what's usually their most lucrative period.

"I'm pleased local shops will be able to re-open in the run-up to Christmas and begin to help our economy recover, but in Devon, hospitality businesses are crucial and they need targeted support.

"In the meantime I would renew my appeal to people to stick to the rules to keep themselves and their families and neighbours safe and minimise the pressure on our local health services.

"I welcome the opening of the Nightingale Hospital in Exeter today but, as Boris Johnson has conceded, the South West still lacks hospital beds and this must be urgently addressed."

The Director of Public Health Devon (designate), Steve Brown, added that going into Tier 2 now gives Devon the best chance of continuing to bring down the number of cases.

He added: "While the number of cases across Devon has stabilised, it is clear that the virus is still with us.

"Local cases were rising when previously in Tier 1 and it has only been through the additional restrictions and efforts of residents, that we are now just starting to see a reduction in cases. Going into Tier 2 now gives us the best chance of continuing to keep a lid on cases or even continuing to bring them down.

"The number of cases still out in our communities remains a real concern, particularly in the working age population and among older people – in workplaces, care homes and other settings where people come together.

"We must not let down our guard over the next few weeks, nor throw caution to the wind over the Christmas period.

"It would take little for the numbers to start to increase again and for our hospitals to be put under increased pressure, and none of us should want to pay the price for that in a few weeks' time or in the New Year."

Cllr Paul Arnott, leader of East Devon District Council, said that it was deeply distressing for Devon to be "marooned" in Tier 2.

He commented: "We are scheduling urgent meetings of senior councillors and officers to respond to this very bad news. The expectation of local people and businesses had been that we'd be out of lockdown on December 2 – but now this. We will do all we can to respond as fully and positively as possible.

"It must be said that It is deeply distressing for Devon to be marooned in Tier 2. Despite campaigners – including me – warning the government for many years that to continually shrink our local hospital capacity was dangerous, we now find ourselves in Tier 2 mainly because of inadequate current and projected NHS capacity. The RDE is down a thousand staff, and more locals beds no longer exist.

"Non-Conservative councillors have been begging and pleading on this topic for years through the DCC Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee at DCC but the Tories consistently refused requests to go into battle to prevent the loss of East Devon's community hospital beds.

"Now, our poor local businesses and employees – indeed our entire local economy – will pay the price for the failure of those Tories at Devon County who were not prepared to put the blue rosette to one side and tell truth to power."