What we know this morning about Greater Manchester’s new coronavirus restrictions
Measures came into force at midnight putting tighter restrictions on social gatherings in Greater Manchester and other parts of the north, banning residents from separate households from meeting indoors.
Measures came into force at midnight putting tighter restrictions on social gatherings in Greater Manchester and other parts of the North, banning residents from separate households from meeting indoors.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the sudden announcement yesterday evening (30 July), explaining that people in certain areas would no longer be permitted to congregate due to a rise in COVID-19 cases across these regions.
The areas to which the ban applies are:
Greater Manchester
Pendle
Hyndburn
Burnley
Rossendale
Blackburn with Darwen
Bradford
Calderdale
Kirklees
Leicester City
The new guidelines, which were enforced in Greater Manchester following discussions with local Mayor Andy Burnham, will apparently be reviewed on a weekly basis.
Local authorities and police will have the power to enforce the rules whilst they remain in place, and anyone caught breaching them can face a £100 fine.
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News of the indoor ban was initially published in short bursts via Twitter with little context, leaving residents confused as to whether they were still allowed to go to work, enter shops or visit pubs and restaurants.
But more details have been published this morning.
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Mayor of Great Manchester Andy Burnham says "the picture in Greater Manchester has changed over the past 7 days… we now have a rising rate in 9 out of 10 boroughs…we had concluded ourselves that something needed to be done" #R4Todayhttps://t.co/bFxQjfWOwf
Can I meet with others in a bar, restaurant, cafe or garden?
The new rules state that no two households should meet indoors in any premises.
According to the latest information, cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants will continue to remain open – but no two households should visit these public places together.
Different households are also banned from mixing in gardens.
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People can, however, continue to meet with their ‘support bubbles’.
Anyone who lives alone or with dependent children (aged under 18) is permitted to be in a support bubble with another household.
Can I go to work?
As for work, nothing has changed.
The Government stated: “People living inside and outside of this area can continue to travel in and out for work” but social distancing guidelines must be adhered to.
I’m shielding; do I need to continue?
Originally, shielding guidance was set to end on 1 August.
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However, the Government has now said that people should continue to shield in “Blackburn with Darwen in the North West and other local affected areas across England where shielding continues.”
Can funerals and weddings in Manchester still go ahead?
These types of gatherings are permitted to continue.
No more than 30 people should attend a marriage ceremony or funeral.
For weddings, any congregation after the ceremony “should involve no more than two households in any location or, if outdoors, up to six people from different households.”
Can I share a car with people outside my household?
The Government is discouraging this.
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However, if car-sharing is necessary, drivers should thoroughly clean their vehicles before and after each trip, open the windows, avoid carrying different passengers, and ensure everyone inside wears face masks.
Can I still visit a place of worship?
This is allowed, but you must socially distance yourself from people outside of your household and wear a face mask if closer than 2m apart.
The Health Secretary said these actions had been taken with “a heavy heart”.
“We’re constantly looking at the latest data on the spread of coronavirus, and unfortunately we’ve seen an increasing rate of transmission in parts of Northern England,” Mr. Hancock explained.
“We’ve been working with local leaders across the region, and today I chaired a meeting of the Local Action Gold Committee. Based on the data, we decided that in Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire and East Lancashire we need to take immediate action to keep people safe.
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Andy Burnham said: “The picture in Greater Manchester has changed over the past 7 days.
“We now have a rising rate in 9 out of 10 boroughs.
“We had concluded ourselves that something needed to be done.”
He also called on residents to “protect one another” by observing the new requirements.
“They will be reviewed weekly; meaning the more we stick to them, the quicker they will be removed,” the Mayor commented.
Michelin-recommended rooftop restaurant Climat has closed its doors with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s top-rated restaurants has announced its shock and immediate closure.
Climat, which is set way up high in Blackfriars House with staggering views of Manchester city centre, has said that the Michelin-recommended restaurant is now permanently closed.
In a heartbreaking statement, founder Christopher Laidler said that Climat is ‘yet another casualty of the times we’re living in’.
Laying out the brutal reality of running a hospitality business, Chris wrote about ‘rampant food inflation’, an ‘ever-increasing tax burden’, and ‘the persistent cost of living crisis’, describing it as a perfect storm against hospitality.
Then delving deeper into the numbers, he shared that Climat has faced an eye-watering £112,000 electricity bill for its first 13 months in business – that’s 400% more than they’d budgeted.
That was chased by a 33% increase in staff wages, then a jump in business rates from £12,000 a year to £38,000 a year.
Couple that with reduced footfall and it’s ‘spelling disaster for so many’.
Climat has closed its doors with immediate effectClimat has laid their finances bare in their closing statement
He wrote: “Whilst I wanted to highlight these reasons for closure, in the naive hope the Government will start to listen before it’s too late for others, I want to acknowledge the fantastic work of our team over the last 3.5 years.
“The closure does not do justice to their efforts and dedication. I’d also like extend a huge debt of gratitude to our guests for their support, enabling us to build a nationally recognised wine list – our raison d’être.”
Signing off, he said: “I wish everyone the very best of luck in these challenging times. Bye for now, Christopher.”
Climat opened in late 2022, with an impressive wine list and a beautiful restaurant space overlooking Manchester.
It didn’t take long before it was added to the Michelin Guide, which wrote: “An open kitchen is the focus of the room, with its aromas filling the air, and the concise fixed-price menu includes well-executed dishes such as halibut with spinach and sorrel velouté, where the ingredient quality shines through.
“Wine is a feature with one side of the room acting as a bar and the carefully curated list deftly mixing traditional and modern styles.”
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
The Manc -
31st July 2020 
