Milton Keynes has woken up to the first morning of Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions being in force across the borough.
The toughest set of restrictions were put in place from 12.01am this morning.
Pubs, bars and restaurants across the city have been forced to close their doors with only a take-away, delivery or drive-through option being available.
The changes are a devastating blow to the hospitality sector in Milton Keynes, which only re-opened after the national lockdown on 2nd December.
The news comes as 'more than a ward’s worth' of covid-positive patients were admitted to Milton Keynes Hospital in a 24 hour period yesterday.
272 positive coronavirus cases recorded in Milton Keynes on Friday, according to data from Public Health England.
It means the case rate in our city has accelerated further and now stands at 355.2 cases per 100,000 people.
In addition to changes in hospitality, sports venues, including Stadium MK, will no longer be allowed to have fans attending events along with all live performances being stopped.
Soft play areas, trampoline parks, casinos, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, cinemas and other indoor entertainment venues must also close their doors.
But non-essential retail can remain open in Tier 3.
What are the new Tier 3 rules in full for Milton Keynes?
From Saturday 19th December at 00:01hrs in Milton Keynes:
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you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble, this includes in any private garden or at most outdoor venues
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you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in some other outdoor public spaces, including parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden, grounds of a heritage site or castle, or a sports facility – this is called the ‘rule of 6’
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hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha venues), pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed – they are permitted to continue sales by takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services.
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accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must close. There are several exemptions, such as for those who use these venues as their main residence, and those requiring the venues where it is reasonably necessary for work or education and training
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indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close. This includes:
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indoor play centres and areas, including trampolining parks and soft play
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casinos
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bingo halls
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bowling alleys
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skating rinks
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amusement arcades and adult gaming centres
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laser quests and escape rooms
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cinemas, theatres and concert halls
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snooker halls
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indoor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close (indoor shops, through-ways and public toilets at such attractions can remain open). This includes indoor attractions within:
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zoos, safari parks, and wildlife reserves
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aquariums, visitor attractions at farms, and other animal attractions
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model villages
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museums, galleries and sculpture parks
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botanical gardens, biomes or greenhouses
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theme parks, circuses, fairgrounds and funfairs
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visitor attractions at film studios, heritage sites such as castles and stately homes
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landmarks including observation decks and viewing platforms
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leisure and sports facilities may continue to stay open, but group exercise classes (including fitness and dance) should not go ahead.
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there should be no public attendance at spectator sport or indoor performances and large business events should not be taking place. Elite sport events may continue to take place without spectators
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large outdoor events (performances and shows) should not take place, with the exception of drive-in events
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places of worship remain open, but you must not attend with or socialise with anyone outside of your household or support bubble while you are there, unless a legal exemption applies
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weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions are not allowed, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, 15 people can attend linked commemorative events
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organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue, however higher-risk contact activity should not take place
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organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes cannot take place indoors. There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s
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you can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, but should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible
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avoid travelling outside of your area, including for overnight stays other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities. You can travel through other areas as part of a longer journey
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for international travel see the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for your destination and the travel corridors list
