In an address to MPs live in the House of Commons, Mr Johnson has announced a new set of targeted restrictions – which have been the topic of widespread speculation over the past week or so and particularly today – for cities and towns in England in an attempt to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Each tier under the newly-announced system has its own set of rules determined by an alert level: ‘medium’ (Tier 1) ‘high’ (Tier 2), or ‘very high’ (Tier 3).
Mr Johnson said that he does not want to go into a second full national lockdown – including closing schools and businesses and telling people to stay at home – as this would not be “the right course”. He did however say that letting the virus “rip” would lead to an “intolerable death toll” and the NHS would be under such a strain that medics wouldn’t be able to devote themselves to treating other ailments.
“We must act to save lives, and the evidence shows in changing our behaviour… our actions are saving lives.” he said.
Speaking to BBC News ahead of the announcement, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said officials in the area were “glad that government has listened”.
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“We had no evidence that hospitality was the primary course of spread in our city region,” he said.
“However, it’s important to say that any restrictions will choke off trade to our pubs, restaurants, even our shops. So, any restrictions must come with a full economic support package otherwise we are going to see a risk of redundancies and business failure running up to Christmas.”
He continued by stating that he feels that Tier 2 is “still a major restriction” for Greater Manchester.
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Mr Johnson confirmed that the three tier system and the whole package of measures will also be voted on in parliament before coming into force.
Here’s how each of the three tiers work:
Tier 1
Areas that fall into Tier 1 – which Mr Johnson said “will cover most of the country” – will see residents living in these areas required to adhere to national restrictions.
This includes the “rule of six”, the 10pm curfew, and social distancing measures.
Tier 2
Tier 2 will cover areas where interventions are already in place – including in Greater Manchester – and will see all mixing between different households or support bubbles indoors stopped.
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The “rule of six” will apply outdoors, as well as in private gardens.
It has been confirmed that Nottinghamshire, Cheshire East and West, and High Peak will also move to the high alert level as part of Tier 2.
Tier 3
This is the highest alert level and will apply where transmission is rising rapidly and the NHS could be under “unbearable pressure”.
Tier 3 will see people banned from socialising with other households, both indoors and in private gardens, while bars and pubs will be closed, unless they can operate as restaurants. Residents will also be advised against travelling in and out of these areas, while it will be up local politicians as to whether other leisure venues such as gyms and casinos should also close.
However, non-essential shops, schools and universities will remain open.
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It has been confirmed that the Liverpool City Region is the first to be placed in Tier 3 and this comes after numbers have risen sharply in recent weeks, with Knowsley recording 944 cases per 100,000 people in the two weeks to 4th October (the highest in the country).
The restrictions for the Liverpool City Region will take effect from Wednesday.
Boris Johnson has announced his plan to "simplify and standardise" #COVID19 rules with a new three-tier alert system.
The First Tier will "cover most of the country" and includes most national measures, such as the rule of six and 10pm curfew.
A postcode checker will be launched on the government’s website to advise people what guidance applies to their area, and every local authority will be put in a Tier by the end of Monday.
In his final message to the country, Mr Johnson said: “The weeks and months ahead will continue to be difficult and will test the mettle of this country.”
But he adds: “I have no doubt at all that together we will succeed.”
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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30 years ago, the IRA detonated a 1,500kg lorry bomb on Corporation Street in the heart of Manchester – here’s the story
Georgina Pellant
Today marks three whole decades since an explosion from the inside of a lorry parked on Corporation Street shattered windows and destroyed buildings across the city centre.
Causing an evisceration that stretched for miles, when the 1,500 kilogram IRA bomb went off in 1996, it was the biggest detonation in Great Britain since the Second World War.
Following the explosion, the city fell silent – leaving rack, rubble and ruin in its wake. Famously, one red post box was left standing – today fitted with a memorial plaque in remembrance of the tragedy.
It seems scary to think that back then, most people could only stand there, watch on and worry.
The bomb caused an estimated £700 million worth of damage to Manchester’s infrastructure and economy, and over a quarter of a century later, locals still tell the stories of where they were when it went off – and of the devastation it left behind.
Notably, one resident of the Cromford Court maisonettes on top of the Arndale – a 77-year-old RAF veteran suffering from the flu – didn’t even bother to get up when the telephone warning to evacuate hit, considering himself to have survived much worse feats during his time in military service.
Having been a rear gunner in a Lancaster in the war, he reportedly told police and authorities “he was buggered if he was going to let a small bomb affect him.”
In subsequent years, Danny O’Neill has become a part of an urban legend surrounding the bomb as his staggering story has been told time and time again.
Around 90 minutes prior to the detonation, the Provisional Irish Republican Army had telephoned in warnings – meaning that around 75,000 people were able to be evacuated from the area before the bomb went off from the back of a van.
However, the bomb squad were unable to defuse it in time, leading to over 200 injuries from people still left in the area.
Thankfully, despite those injuries, there were no fatalities, and many of those reported traumas came from the shattering of thousands of windows and other damage to buildings in which unsuspecting people were getting on with their days.
Several buildings near the explosion were damaged beyond repair and had to be demolished, while many more were closed for months for structural repairs, and this prompted the biggest regeneration of Manchester city centre ever – something that is still continuing to this day, arguably at a more rapid rate than ever.
The city lay dormant for days after the explosion, as people came to terms with what had happened and kept their distance. Many moved out of the centre for a period of time, while many more simply decided not to visit for fear of another incident.
It was a desolate place, eerily quiet, and in need of some serious TLC.
According to Home Office statistics, an estimated 400 businesses within half a mile (0.8 km) of the 1996 blast were affected, 40% of which did not recover.
Credit: Manchester Libraries
Market Street – near the explosion and at that time the second-busiest shopping street in the UK – was considered by some a “fearful” place, and one that was to be “avoided like the plague”.
The prospect of pulling Manchester’s bustling city centre out of its darkest depression was not casually approached by those in charge.
It was acknowledged as a mammoth task from the get-go, but Greater Manchester has never let anything get in its way. Despite how steep the hill is that we’re standing at the base of, we always manage to reach the peak, ready to go again.
Manchester City Council green-light new venue at Medlock Square, with Mamma Mia! The Party to open the immersive space
Danny Jones
The smash-hit ‘Mamma Mia: The Party’ is set to land in Manchester next year as the maiden event of another brand-new space set to open as part of the upcoming Medlock Square development.
Etihad Campus has seen a lot of moving pieces over the past few years, be it the building of Co-op Live, the ongoing expansion of Man City’s home ground, the soon-to-launch hotel attached to the stadium and now Medlock.
But those in control of the land are content with stopping there; this looks to be just the start of a whole new evolution for the East Manchester area, with an as yet untitled new immersive arts, experience and events venue also set to join the new slate of projects.
You see another glimpse of the purpose-built mini arena, of sorts, down below.
With plans having now been approved by the City Council, the ‘immersive’ space will be situated between the Etihad, Co-op Live and Medlock Square itself, holding up to 600 guests per performance.
Currently set to open in late 2027, following the rest of the square’s launch window being fully rolled out, we still don’t know the name of this next addition, but the structure itself will dovetail with the surrounding buildings and areas as part of seasonal activations, live shows and sports screenings, as well as pop-ups, brand collaborations and more.
Looping back, the interactive, multimedia extravaganza that is ‘Mamma Mia! The Party’ will finally be making its Manc debut as part of the 10th anniversary of the all-singing, all-dancing and even all-dining in-demand production.
As per an official press release from the Medlock Square media team, the show will combine “live music, theatre, food and storytelling” and “offer visitors an unforgettable night out.”
The original UK production at The O2 in London has now surpassed more than 1,500 performances, with a total of 700k guests attending these shows in 110 countries across the globe. Safe to say it’s rather popular.
As for Medlock Square and the surrounding Etihad Campus, Manchester City supporters have also been given another look at the soon-to-open, immersive hotel tie-in experience.
With a skywalk, rooftop bar, a new MCFC shop and various other bits set to spill out onto Medlock Square, it all feels like a period of wholesale changes over in the blue half of the city – especially with the football club bidding farewell to their manager Pep Guardiola after more than a decade.
Following the new and improved North Stand being named after him in the first of many tributes, the City Football Group (CFG) are also set to commission a statue in his honour over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Medlock Square is also due to open later this year, although an official completion date has not been confirmed.
You can stay up to date with all the latest on Mamma Mia! The Part’s Manchester shows right HERE.
Not forgetting a brand-new women’s football facility, too, there is so much stuff going on over at the Etihad that it can be hard to keep track, but here’s the latest look at some of the rooms set to feature in the hotel of the same name.
The Manc -
12th October 2020 
