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Health secretary Matt Hancock has announced England’s regional coronavirus tiers that will come into effect when the lockdown ends on 2 December.

Only three regions have been placed into tier 1; Isle of Wight, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, while 38 regions are in tier 2 including London and Liverpool. Among the 32 regions put into tier 3 are Bristol, Birmingham, Greater Manchester and Newcastle.

On Monday, the Government announced its Winter Plan that stated that in tiers 1 and 2 live events could resume inside and outside with capacity limits and social distancing in place. In tier 1 the capacity limit will be 50% of a venue’s capacity or 4,000 outdoors and 1,000 indoors, whichever is lower. In tier 2 these will be 50% capacity or 2,000 outdoors and 1,000 indoors, whichever is lower.

In tier 3 audiences will not be permitted at sports events or live performances unless the events are drive-in.

With alcohol sales banned in venues in tier 2 unless it is served with substantial meals, both the Concert Promoters Association and the Music Venue Trust have said it will make it financially unviable for the majority of venues to accommodate concerts.

National Outdoor Events Association president Tom Clements said that following the more positive news from earlier this week, the announcement of the tier restrictions creates more confusion in the events market and makes the organisation of mass participation events even more of a risk for event organisers: “As far as NOEA members are concerned, we have always campaigned for the responsibility around crowds to be passed onto the event organiser and for them to assess the risk to the attendee, as well as their own commercial risk, hand in hand. It is then for them to make informed and qualified decisions. Until this is a possibility, the industry is at the hands of a constantly changing and highly political environment.”

Night Time Industries Association CEO Michael Kill said hospitality businesses should be compensated: “Today’s allocation of regional tier levels by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, has brought about a stark reality to the night time economy and hospitality businesses, diminishing hopes of trading through the key festive period for many, with a long winter ahead fighting to survive.

“Industry and business leaders are speaking up, highlighting the immense impact of restrictions to their sector, individual companies releasing huge redundancy figures, business owners suffering from mental health, and suicide rates within the sector steadily increasing.”

“The Government must compensate these businesses for the period of time they have been closed, and the loss of business suffered due to restrictions through the festive period.”

“The sector has suffered horrendously since the start of the pandemic and is bearing the burden, so that other sectors are able to open during the festive period.”

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