You may have already seen the news that Gloucestershire is being placed in Tier 4 from tomorrow, 31st December at 00:01am. This is not what anybody wanted and I have set out some information below about how it affects businesses and individuals.
As you know, we fought to stay in Tier 2 in the run up to Christmas which I continue to believe was the right approach given the evidence at the time and as it gave our businesses an opportunity to have Christmas trade. MPs have not been consulted about this recent change ahead of the announcement but from the information we have about pressure on hospitals and due to the new strain of virus spreading quicker, I am not surprised that there has been another change. That said, I would have liked to see how we coped in Tier 3 for longer before there was a shift up given the impact of Tier 4.
Over the last week cases have risen across England and we have seen the highest death rate today since April. There were 237 new cases of Covid in Gloucestershire there were sadly 2 further deaths in Stroud.
The new rules under Tier 4 for Stroud:
You are required to stay at home and can only leave for specific exemptions.
These exemptions are:
• You are permitted to leave your home to visit your support bubble (and to stay overnight with them). However, if you form a support bubble, it is best if this is with a household who live locally. This will help prevent the virus spreading from an area where more people are infected. You are able to change your support bubble if your circumstances change. Find out more about changing your support bubble.
• For exercise
• To meet one other individual outside socially distanced, children under 5, and up to 2 carers for a person with a disability who needs continuous care are not counted towards the outdoors gatherings limit.
• To fulfil legal obligations, such as attending court or jury service or to carry out activities related to buying, selling, letting or renting a residential property,
• For medical reasons, such as to get a covid test or for doctor’s appointments, this also includes visiting a veterinary practice for animal welfare
• To avoid injury or illness or to escape risk of harm
• Moving property
Further exemptions can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home
Please note that the Police can take action against those how meet in larger groups. You can be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400. Any individuals who hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over 30 people, can be issued fines of £10,000 by the Police.
Businesses
The full list of businesses which can remain open and those which must close is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premi…
I have collated a list of the businesses which must close which I am gutted about as I know how much people were dreading having to close again:
• clothing and fashion stores and tailors
• homeware stores
• carpet stores
• kitchen, bathroom, tile, and glazing showrooms
• tobacco and vape shops
• electronic goods and mobile phone shops
• charity shops
• photography studios and antique stores
• markets (except livestock markets or stalls which fall under the list of essential businesses above, for example those selling food)
• car and other vehicle showrooms and other premises, including outdoor areas, used for the sale or hire of caravans, boats or any vehicle which can be propelled by mechanical means. However taxi or vehicle hire businesses can continue. For example a customer could order a rental vehicle online and collect it in person.
• car washes (except for automatic car washes)
• auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment)
• betting shops
• Restaurants; pubs; bars, including those in hotels or members’ clubs, and shisha bars; social clubs, cafes and canteens, with the exception of those provided takeaway services
• Personal care services, including beauty hair and tanning salons, tattoo parlours and spas
• Indoor gyms and swimming pools
These services can remain open under Tier 4:
• food retailers, including food markets, supermarkets, convenience stores and corner shops. This also includes fresh food retailers (such as butchers, bakers, greengrocers, fishmongers, and delicatessens). This includes market stalls.
• off licenses and licensed shops selling alcohol
• pharmacies (including non-dispensing pharmacies) and chemists
• mobility and disability support shops
• newsagents
• builders’ merchants and suppliers of products and tools used in building work and repairs. This does not include carpet stores, and showrooms such as those for bathrooms, kitchens, tiles, and glazing
• garden centres, agricultural supplies shops, and natural Christmas tree retailers. This does not include florists or nurseries
• veterinary surgeons, animal rescue centres, boarding facilities and pet shops. Animal grooming facilities may also stay open but must only be used for the purposes of an animal’s welfare (and not for aesthetic purposes)
• dental services, opticians, audiology services, chiropody, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health
• banks, building societies, credit unions, short term loan providers, savings clubs, cash points and undertakings which by way of business operate currency exchange offices, transmit money (or any representation of money) by any means or cash cheques which are made payable to customers
• post offices
• funeral directors
• laundrettes and dry cleaners
• bicycle shops, vehicle repair and MOT services
• Outdoor gyms and swimming pools
• petrol stations and automatic car washes
• taxi or vehicle hire businesses and motorway service areas
The Government is providing local council’s with further financial support to ensure that businesses forced closed due to Tier 4 and those which will suffer due to the changes will be supported.
The next tiers review is in 2 weeks' time on 13th January 2021.
I will work with the other Gloucestershire MPs and will seek to come out of the higher tiers as soon as we can. The vaccines are obviously key and I want to see the local health teams supported so that they can roll out the Oxford vaccine at pace. They have been doing a sterling job so far with work continuing over Christmas and the recent advice that there can be longer between each jab will mean that more people should be able to receive the first jab without delay.
I am about to go on zooms about schools. I will also write separately about