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.
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Here’s what you need to know.
Which areas are affected?
The measures cover every borough in the Greater Manchester area.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Everything you need to know about watching the solar eclipse in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
People all across the UK will be able to see an almost total solar eclipse in the sky tomorrow evening.
For the first time this century, with the last one being all the way back in 1999, people in the UK and Ireland – including here in Greater Manchester – will get to see 90-96% of the sun covered by the moon tomorrow (12 August 2026), and if that wasn’t exciting enough as it is, this will be the last chance to do so until 2081.
NASA and Royal Museums Greenwich has confirmed that tomorrow’s solar eclipse will be the most coverage seen from the UK and Ireland since the 1999 event.
But what can astronomy fans in Greater Manchester expect from tomorrow’s eclipse? When will it be happening? How much coverage is our region going to see? And where are some of the best places to watch?
First up, let’s get the basics out the way – what is a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the sun and the Earth, blocking the sun’s light either partly or fully.
Although the UK will only see a partial solar eclipse this time, some other countries – such as parts of Iceland, Spain, Portugal, and Greenland – will be lucky enough to witness the spectacle of a total eclipse for a duration of up to two minutes and 18 seconds.
When will it be happening?
The eclipse is set to start at 6:13pm in Greater Manchester, and will run right through to 8:03pm – with the peak happening at 7:10pm.
How much coverage can Greater Manchester expect?
Of course, we always have to preface anything we say about astronomical events like this by saying ‘it depends on the weather’, as we do like in the North West after all, and even though it is the height of summer, that won’t stop the skies from being overcast.
Luckily though, the Met Office is predicting some of the best weather conditions for an event like this in a long time, so it really is worth watching.
Spectators in Manchester will see 91.9% coverage, according to expert sources.
Where are some of the best places to watch the solar eclipse in Greater Manchester?
As a general rule, any open and elevated position with a view to the West will be the best place to catch a glimpse of this rare spectacle.
But across Greater Manchester, we have plenty of those, so some of the most recommended places to see the solar eclipse include Werneth Low, Rivington Pike, or even Salford Quays. There are also a number of dedicated viewing events happening in places like Heaton Park, Platt Fields Park, and Barton Aerodrome to make the most of.
How can I watch the eclipse safely?
If there’s one thing experts are stressing, it’s the need to take correct precautions if you are planning to watch tomorrow.
The most important thing is to wear eclipse glasses and avoid looking directly at the sun.
It’s true that during an eclipse, the sun does appears dimmer therefore making it easier to look at directly, however solar radiation can still reach and damage the retina, often without causing any pain, so you may not realise harm is occurring until it’s too late.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advises that there are two safe approaches – specialist eclipse viewers, or indirect viewing methods.
Eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers must be genuine, sold by a reputable retailer, and have specially designed filters that meet the international safety standard ISO 12312-2:2015(E). They must also have no scratches, tearing, or damage to the lens.
Old pairs may not be reusable, and sunglasses should never be used.
Indirect view methods include viewing the sun’s image projected through a colander or the gaps between tree leaves on to white paper, or using a pinhole pierced in one sheet of card and projected on to another.
Featured Image – Mathew Schwartz (via Unsplash)
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A rare piglet born at Chester Zoo could help save an entire species from extinction
Danny Jones
A very cute and rare new arrival at Chester Zoo could potentially save the animal’s future, and she might just be one of the cutest little piglets we’ve ever seen.
Say hello to Rana.
A tiny ‘babirusa’ – also sometimes referred to as the ‘pig-deer’ – Rana is an indigenous species found on just four small Indonesian islands, and one which is sadly on the verge of extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Part of the threat to the population is due to African Swine Fever (not to be confused with swine flu), which reached these islands around half a decade ago and could see these precious little pigs considered ‘critically endangered’ very soon. But Chester Zoo are working hard to prevent this outcome.
Born this summer, Rana is the baby of mother babirusa Matano, who was herself born at Chester Zoo over a decade ago.
Fast forward 11 years, and she has descendants living in zoos all across Europe, as well as a whole new generation of children here in the UK.
However, she is the first one born in some time, with this particular phylum only ever birthing one or two kids at a time as opposed to a litter like most other pigs.
Described as being like grapefruit “only with legs”, she may be small for now, but she’s growing fast and carries the weight of big hopes and expectations for the rest of her kind.
Chester Zoo conservationists are currently working with partners to protect wild babirusa populations through Action Indonesia‘s Global Species Management Plans.
Helping design camera-trapping projects to monitor babirusas on Sulawesi, and working with other organisations to locate and protect surviving numbers, the aim is to share conservation breeding expertise, with results so far having bred at least 17 babirusas towards national cooperative targets.
For context, only on two occasions were babirusas photographed in the wild during the entirety of 2023-24, hence why efforts have been ramped up even further over the past year or so.
Amy Humphreys, a conservationist at the zoo who is working with Action Indonesia, the country’s government and other groups to combat their decline and rescue this species, says we are in “a race against time” to save these omnivorous, ‘charismatic’ and intelligent pigs.
She goes on to add that “babirusas are important to island ecosystems as they drop seeds as they forage, helping forest regeneration, and they are a key indicator species for overall environmental health, but their situation is bleak.
“We risk losing a truly unique species, one that’s an important part of Indonesia’s cultural and natural heritage and one of the oldest pig species still living […] Rana’s arrival is worth celebrating; her birth is a chance to shine a light on babirusas and show people why they deserve protection.”
It’s uplifting and inspiring stories like this that constantly remind us why we’re fortunate we are to have the award-winning zoo and conservation centre in our region; and if you were wondering whether we’ll be booking a trip soon just in hopes of seeing little Rana running around, you’d be absolutely right.
The Manc -
22nd October 2020 
