What we know about the local lockdown measures being announced later today
The Prime Minister is announcing a new set of targeted restrictions for cities and towns in England today - but where does Manchester sit in all of this?
The Prime Minister is announcing a new set of targeted restrictions for cities and towns in England today (12 October) – which could result in the closure of pubs, bars, restaurants and gyms in areas with high infection rates.
Plans are being made to place regions into a ‘three tier’ local lockdown system – with each tier having its own set of rules determined by a risk level: ‘medium’, ‘high’, or ‘very high’.
Tier Three would be the strictest – with businesses asked to close and and citizens urged to avoid mixing in any setting.
Reports surfacing over the weekend have suggested that Liverpool is the first to be categorised as Tier Three – with residents now anticipating the mass closure of hospitality.
Casinos and bookmakers are also expected to shut – but schools and universities may remain open.
Numbers have risen sharply in the Liverpool City Region in recent weeks – with Knowsley recording 944 cases per 100,000 people in the two weeks to 4 October (the highest in the country).
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has also told his city to “start preparing for additional restrictions” in the coming days, with positive test numbers growing in the capital.
London is at a serious tipping point in the spread of this virus – and we need to start preparing for additional restrictions.
How we act this weekend will determine where we are in the weeks to come.
The most likely outcome is that all ten GM boroughs will be bundled into Tier Two or Three. This would mean that local pubs, bars and possibly restaurants could close as part of a local lockdown.
Infection rates have slowed in recent days, but nonetheless remain at a high level across the board.
Greater Manchester was one of the first areas to be hit by government intervention after the initial lockdown was lifted – with a ban on different households meeting indoors announced in July.
But if new measures are deemed to be too severe, they be contested by Manchester’s local leaders.
Last week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out a furlough scheme to protect any businesses affected this winter, promising the government would cover two thirds of worker wages.
But Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, alongside other Northern leaders, called the package “insufficient”.
“To accept the Chancellor’s package would be to surrender our residents to hardship and our businesses to potential failure and collapse and we are not prepared to do that,” said Burnham.
Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester Sacha Lord, anticipating the closure of local hospitality, has even launched legal action against the government.
“We have been given no tangible scientific evidence to merit a full closure of hospitality and entertainment sectors,” said Lord.
“[We] have been left with no option than to escalate the matter with legal action.”
In Greater Manchester, we will not accept shutting our pubs/bars without any scientific evidence. That’s why, with the support of @AndyBurnhamGM I’m heading a group to take the Government to a Judicial Review. https://t.co/QYLC6oZQVu
Under the new local lockdown system, it is understood there may be flexibility for local leaders to make decisions for their own area moving ahead.
Reports surfacing this morning suggest that Liverpool will have discretion over the closure of restaurants for example, rather than simply enforcing a blanket ban on hospitality.
The rules and regulations may become clearer later today, as the PM is set to outline the measures in the Commons.
Johnson will then attend a press conference in the evening – joined by Rishi Sunak and England’s Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty.
News
Manchester City staff member sacked after wearing Man United shirt to shift
Danny Jones
Man City have divided a fair few supporters after they sacked a barman for wearing a United shirt to their shift during the Manchester derby.
Although it’s not exactly surprising, the decision has ruffled plenty of feathers on both sides, as well as among neutral fans.
The Blues emerged victorious in the 197th clash between the two local rivals, winning 3-0 on an evening that paid tribute to the late, great Ricky Hatton, but another backstory looming over the fixture that caught the attention of football fans online was the City staff member who lost his job.
Working on concessions inside the Etihad Stadium before the game, the barman was made known to the official MCFC Matchday Support channel on X, who quickly confirmed he had been let go before the game even began.
In the since-deleted post, the home fan who reported the worker wrote: “Absolute joke – letting one of the bar staff in block 315 wear a United shirt on Derby Day.”
Although many City fans applauded the fast action by the club on the day, it’s fair to say that sacking him so soon that he didn’t even last until kick-off has rubbed many others the wrong way.
One Liverpool fan commented: “I hate United way more than City, but to sack him from a job because of an item of clothing is crazy. So, so poor from Manchester City, this. It’s just football lads, he’s not wearing a political or derogatory symbol. It’s literally a football team…”
Another neutral added: “Getting a minimum wage worker sacked for having a bit of fun instead of just winding him up is the absolute sad state this country is in.”
Even the ‘Out Of Context Football Manager‘ parody account chipped in, writing: “The guy’s been sacked for this. All he needed was a formal warning. I get he’s taking the p*ss – but losing a salary he might really need over this?!
While many have been even more outspoken in their response, as you can see, many supporters – be they Red or otherwise – have come up with arguably the perfect solution:
Manchester City are yet to comment on the backlash, apart from the initial confirmation that the still-anonymous staff member has been released from his position, but as for Man United, simply sticking him on the kiosks in the Stretford End could prove to be a very easy bit of positive PR.
Besides the growing frustration around the fanbase, as Ruben Amorim has yet to turn things around at Old Trafford (pressure was growing even before the derby day defeat), the Red Devils could no doubt do with some positive press for a change.
In fact, it was only earlier this year that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and the wider INEOS Sports administration sanctioned a second round of redundancies at United, with approximately 450 individuals losing their jobs.
That being said, although some have labelled the sacking of the now ex-City barman as “absolutely horrendous behaviour” for Man City, many jumped to quip back that “[United are] more likely to sack more bar staff, not hire them”, as well as simultaneously taking aim at their significant transfer spending.
Featured Images — Mataniels via X (now deleted)/The Manc Group
News
Teen arrested on suspicion of murder after 15-year-old boy is killed in Moss Side stabbing
Emily Sergeant
A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the killing of a 15-year-old boy in Moss Side yesterday.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that officers were called out to reports of a ‘disturbance’ involving a number of people on Monton Street in Moss Side at just after 4:30pm yesterday (15 September), and when they arrived on the scene, they found a 15-year-old boy with serious stab wounds.
After being treated both at the scene and later in hospital, the boy was sadly pronounced dead a short time later.
#NEWS | A 15-year-old boy has sadly been pronounced dead, murder investigation launched and S60 put in place for the below area following an disturbance on Monton Street, Moss Side earlier this evening (15 September).
Due to the shocking nature of the incident, police confirmed that a Section 60 – which allows officers to ‘stop and search’ people within a specific area – has been put in place until 5:20pm this evening.
With enquiries currently ongoing, and GMP describing the investigation as ‘progressing at pace’, it has now been confirmed that a teenager, also a 15-year-old boy, the same as the victim, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and he remains in police custody for questioning.
His family are aware of this development and continue to be supported by specially-trained officers.
#ARREST | Following our earlier update, a 15-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.
This arrest comes after the death of another 15-year-old boy on Monton Street, Moss Side yesterday (15 September 2025).
“There is a thorough investigation plan in place as we look to find the perpetrator of this appalling act that has seen a young man lose his life,” explained Chief Superintendent David Meeney, from GMP’s City of Manchester district.
“This incident will understandably have caused shock and concern within the community and the surrounding area, particularly those who witnessed it, so you will see an increased police presence in the area over the coming days.
“We remain committed to providing the victim’s family with the answers they deserve.”
Anyone with any information, or who may have been in the area at the time of the incident, is urged to contact GMP on 101 or online, quoting log 2327 of 15/09/25.
You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The Manc -
12th October 2020 
