Tier 3 restrictions come into force in Greater Manchester today. Here’s what you can and can’t do.
But with Tier 3 restrictions imminent, Greater Manchester residents are now determining what they can and cannot do once new measures become law at 00.01 BST.
Greater Manchester has officially moved into Tier 3 today – with the toughest measures being imposed on the region at 00.01 BST on October 23.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and his local leaders have dedicated the past two weeks to fighting the government for an improved financial package for the region – which is being recategorised in the ‘very high’ risk alert level.
Greater Manchester MPs had previously refused to enter Tier 3 without more support, tabling several discussions with the government that all resulted in deadlocks or abandonment.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that he would be forcing Greater Manchester into Tier 3 without a deal; but on Wednesday told the Commons he’d be giving the region £60m to distribute across all ten boroughs.
Now, with Tier 3 restrictions imminent, Greater Manchester residents are wondering what they can and cannot do once new measures become law at 00.01 BST.
Here’s what you need to know.
Which areas are affected?
The measures cover every borough in the Greater Manchester area.
After midnight tonight, Tier 3 restrictions will apply to:
Several types of businesses must shut under Tier 3 restrictions. These include:
Pubs and bars – according to the government, these venues “can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant” ie serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal. They may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal.
Casinos
Bingo halls
Betting shops
Adult gaming centres
Soft play areas
All hospitality must stop trading at 10pm.
Delivery, click and collect and drive-through services are allowed to continue after 10pm in Tier 3.
Hospitality venues in ports, on transport services and in motorway service areas do not need to close at 10pm, but must not serve alcohol after that time.
Currently, gyms, leisure centres, libraries, community centres and places of worship are set to remain open in Greater Manchester.
Can I meet with friends and family outside my household in Tier 3?
In Tier 3, there is a total ban on household mixing – indoors and outdoors in private gardens.
There are exemptions for meeting one other adult in your ‘support bubble’.
However, you can continue to meet people you do not live with in groups of six or less in certain outdoor public spaces like parks, beaches, countryside, forests, public gardens, allotments, outdoor sports courts and facilities, and playgrounds.
The government has warned that meeting in larger groups carries the risk of big penalties – including £200 for a first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.
Anyone found involved in organising an illegal gathering of over 30 people can be fined £10,000.
The government has confirmed that weddings and civil partnership ceremonies can take place in COVID-secure settings or outdoors provided guests are restricted to 15 people.
Receptions are banned.
People living outside of Greater Manchester can travel into the area to attend a wedding, but they must not meet with another household in a private home or garden or stay overnight.
The government is strongly advising against travelling in and out of Greater Manchester whilst the region is under Tier 3 restrictions.
The official advice is for people to avoid the region where possible. If anyone needs to visit Greater Manchester, they should “reduce the number of journeys [they] make.”
Entering the region is still allowed for work/education purposes.
Commuters are also being urged to walk or cycle if possible to reduce congestion on public transport.
Visitors are also being told not to meet people indoors or stay overnight in Greater Manchester.
Residents can travel to hotels and other guest accommodation within the region, but only with people in their households.
You can read the full list of Tier 3 restrictions for Greater Manchester on the government website.
News
Manchester City supporters groups call on club and fellow fans to ‘make their voices heard’
Danny Jones
A collection of Manchester City supporters groups has urged both the club and the fans themselves to “make [their] voice heard” this season, following this year’s protests over the new and “drastic” ticketing policy.
Man City fans gathered both before and after the game against Wolves back in April to make their feeling known regarding season ticket changes.
Appealing to manager Pep Guardiola directly, insisting that he needs their energy to get the kind of “alive” crowds he’s also called for in the past, ‘The 1984’ has now been joined by four other supporters trusts in reaffirming their aims for the new campaign.
Sharing a new joint statement on social media, the five fan groups say that “last season saw unprecedented off-pitch unrest among City fans in the post-Maine Road era”, and the only way to avoid further disruption is to listen and heed their warnings.
STATEMENT FROM CITY FAN GROUPS AS WE ENTER THE NEW SEASON
After last season's protests, 2025/26 sees the most drastic changes to season tickets we've ever had. We ask supporters to use their voices & the club to put fans first going forward.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Writing on behalf of the aforementioned 1894 group, Canal Street Blues, MCFC Fans Foodbank Support, Solid Citizens, Trade Union Blues and nearly 700 official members, as you can see, they penned a lengthy open letter to the club and the City Football Group (CFG).
“Despite recent success on the field,” they say, “two major in-stadium protests took place, with an estimated 16,000+ fans delaying their entry at the Leicester and Wolves games, and thousands more joining silent protests.
“The triggers were rising ticket prices, season ticket availability, poor supporter engagement (including the Club refusing to meet City Matters on ticket prices for months), and away fans in home sections – often linked to third-party resellers like Viagogo, whose new partnership with the Club proved the breaking point.”
They also conceded that the freeze in the cost of a full season ticket and reduced matchday prices were a welcome breath of fresh air and stirred hope for better fan engagement moving forward.
However, as the statement continues, “Unfortunately, the Club has instead introduced sweeping changes to season ticket terms and conditions, hitting some of our most loyal supporters and damaging long-standing fan culture.”
You can see all of the new and almost universally opposed ticket changes listed in full via bullet points above, but standouts include an unprecedented ’10-game personal attendance policy’ – the first of its kind in English football – stricter ticket transfer rules, and even new facial recognition scanners.
We completely agree. No warning in the middle of summer, communicated by one email on the same day that it was announced? Horrendous.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Fan reaction online has been as you would expect; most City supporters are in almost overwhelming agreement with the concerns raised in the latest communication, particularly in the minimum attendance and transfer rules, adding: “the latter directly undermines the stated aim of ‘keeping the stadium full.'”
“There are also fears some of these rules won’t apply equally to hospitality season ticket holders, introducing worries of inequality between fans,” the statement continues.
“These changes create unnecessary workload for ticket office staff, introduce barriers for digitally excluded fans, force some into paid memberships, and erode supporter culture.
“All [the] while, City Matters, our elected Fan Advisory Board, has repeatedly faced delays and broken deadlines for meeting minutes, with the most recent minutes now 59 days overdue from the June meeting. No one wants constant conflict with the Club, but when official channels fail, protest becomes the only option. Last season proved that fan action can drive change.”
“We call on all Blues to:
Track and record if and how these changes affect you.
Make your voice heard – online, via City Matters, and through fan groups.
Join fan groups such as 1894, the Disabled Supporters Association, Canal Street Blues, Trade Union Blues, and your local OSC branch to discuss issues with fellow Blues.”
Lastly, they have called on the club to rethink their current policies surrounding personal attendance and ticket transfers, “take a ‘fans first’ approach when it comes to all future policies affecting supporters, engaging in meaningful consultation with fan representatives,” and publish fan meetings “on time.”
What do you make of the supporter groups’ statement and, more importantly, how do you feel about recent changes to season tickets and matchday admission, City fans?
Manchester’s newest bowling venue Wynwood Lanes is giving away 100 FREE sessions on opening week
Emily Sergeant
An exciting new bowling venue is opening in Manchester this week, and they’re giving away 100 free bowling sessions to celebrate.
Manchester get ready, as Wynwood Lanes is taking over the legendary Dog Bowl site and giving it a full Miami makeover.
Think five upgraded bowling lanes, pool tables, basketball hoops, sun drenched tunes, poolside cocktails, smoke machines, and a brunch menu from Kong’s NQ that’ll have you salivating before you’ve even sat down.
Wynwood Lanes will be running on a ‘unique’ day-mode and night-mode model.
This means that by day, guests can expect fresh brunch dishes and low-fi tunes, with children welcome until 7pm, and then when it’s in night mode, the Miami heat is turned up with party beats, celebratory smoke machines, late night snacks, and bar games.
Manchester’s newest bowling venue Wynwood Lanes is giving away 100 free sessions on its opening week / Credit: PICRYL | Supplied
As mentioned, fuel for the fun comes from Manchester legends Kong’s NQ, but this time with a Miami twist, so expect Cuban sandwiches, lime chicken avo arepas, tacos galore, and Miami-style brunch plates.
A boozy bottomless brunch will also take every Saturday and Sunday from next Saturday 30 August, with 90 minutes of Miami plates and free-flowing cocktails from £39.50 per person – with the option to upgrade to bowling for just a tenner
With the grand opening date just days away now, Wynwood Lanes wants to start things off with a bang… or you know, a strike.
In a bid to do this, they’ll be giving away free bowling sessions to the first 100 people through the doors on bank holiday Monday (25 August) from midday through to 11pm – with up to six players allowed per group.
Wynwood Lanes is open from 4pm tomorrow (Friday 22 August).
Bowling prices will start at £9 (or totally free if you’re one of the first 100 to book for opening weekend), so follow this link to grab access to bowling booking slots when they’re released, and secure your lane before they’re gone.
The Manc -
22nd October 2020 
