The local lockdown that was imposed in Leicester City, and the neighbouring borough of Oadby and Wigston on 4 July will be lifted.
It means from Monday 3 August, restaurants, cafes, bars and hairdressers in Leicester City can get back to business but leisure centres, gyms and pools will remain closed. In addition, cinemas and museums will open and religious ceremonies will be able to take place.
However, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock has introduced new rules on social gatherings in Northern England to stop the spread of COVID-19. These changes will also apply in Leicester city.
This means people in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire, parts of West Yorkshire and Leicester City will not be permitted to mix with other households (apart from those in their support bubbles) in private homes or gardens.
The government will sign new regulations to make these changes legally enforceable. This will give local authorities and police forces the power to enforce these restrictions.
Households may go to hospitality, for instance bars and pubs, but new guidance will make clear that two households should not go to hospitality together.
For those celebrating Eid-Al-Adha this weekend with friends and family, these restrictions will come as a blow but everyone is being urged to follow the new rules and to protect the ones they love from catching coronavirus.
Matt Hancock said the restrictions in the North were part of “immediate action” to keep people safe.
He said: “The spread is largely due to households meeting and not abiding to social distancing. We take this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of COVID across Europe and are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe.”
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