The tiers are set to be reviewed on Wednesday December 16th, so there is still a chance Greater Manchester could be in Tier 2 in the run up to Christmas.
The new rules across all tiers include:
Uniform set of rules, there will be no negotiations by different regions
Everyone should work from home if they can
Shops and personal care services can open
Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities remain open
Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children and childcare bubbles allowed
Indoor leisure – gyms and swimming – can open
Elite sport, under-18 sport and disabled sport can continue
Police will get new powers to close down premises breaking the rules
What Greater Manchester can expect in Tier 3:
No mixing of households indoors or most outdoor places – rule of six in outdoor spaces such as parks and sports courts
Hospitality venues closed, except for takeaway, drive-through or delivery
Indoor entertainment venues closed
Avoid travelling outside the area other than where necessary
No overnight stays outside local area, unless necessary for work, education or similar reasons
Accommodation closed (with limited exceptions such as work purposes)
Places of worship open but people cannot interact with anyone outside their household or support bubble
Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests – but no wedding receptions allowed
Funerals can have 30 guests
Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but avoid higher-risk contact activity
Group exercise and sports indoors should not take place, unless with household/bubble
Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events banned but drive-in events permitted.
Tier 1 Rules:
Households can mix inside and outside, but the rule of six applies
Bars, pubs and restaurants must be table service only, last orders at 10pm, closing by 11pm
Entertainment can reopen
Avoid travel into Tier 3 areas
Overnight stays permitted with your household/bubble, or up to six people from different households
All accommodation can reopen
Places of worship can reopen but more than six people from different households cannot interact
Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests
Funerals can have 30 guests
Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but rule of six indoors
Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events can take place with 50% capacity, or 4,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower) – social distancing applies
Tier 2 Rules:
No mixing of households indoors apart from support bubbles – rule of six outdoors
Pubs and bars must close unless operating as restaurants, and hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
Last orders at 10pm, close by 11pm
Reduce the numbers of journeys made and avoid travel into Tier 3 areas
Overnight stays permitted with your household or support bubble
Accommodation open
Places of worship open but people cannot interact with anyone outside their household or support bubble
Weddings, civil partnerships and wakes can have 15 guests
Funerals can have 30 guests
Exercise classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but not indoors if there is any interaction between different households
Elite sporting events, live performances and large business events can take place with 50% capacity, or 2,000 people outdoors/1,000 indoors (whichever is lower) – social distancing applies
Robin Webster / Geograph & Terence Ong / Wikimedia
Toys R Us has announced it will be returning to the UK high street on a date this month.
It’s official, the iconic toy super store will be making a comeback in a matter of weeks.
The retailer — a total paradise for children — is set to open nine high street stores across the UK in partnership with WHSmith.
Some five years after closing 100 of its UK stores, shoppers will be able to physically see and test out toys in its stores, rather than going off reviews and zooming-in on some pictures online.
Open Grid Scheduler / Flickr
From Saturday June 10th, customers will be able to browse aisles and aisles of the most popular brands of toys from Barbie, to Hot Wheels, Star Wars, Lego, Fisher Price and so much more.
You can take your children or even go for a gander for nostalgic reasons — hey, who’s judging?
Parents will be pleading with children to put toys back on shelves as they do their best to get them to leave the store. Don’t say you haven’t been warned!
The shops will be divided into different sections including age, interest, and category, as stores will be decked out with interactive experiences, activities, and demonstration tables.
Ryan Smith / Flickr
And of course, Geoffrey the Giraffe will feature as the store mascot, just like old times.
The nine shops will open at the following locations throughout the summer:
Canterbury (St George Street)
Chelmsford (High Street)
Cheltenham (High Street)
Cwmbran (The Mall)
Oxford (Cornmarket Street)
Poole (Towngate Shopping Centre)
Reading (Broad Street)
Solihull (Mell Square)
York (Monks Cross retail park)
Dorsetdude / Wikimedia
Commenting on the exciting return in partnership with WHSmith, Sean Toal, managing director for WHSmith High Street, said: “At WHSmith, we’re always exploring new opportunities to launch exciting new product ranges to our customers on the high street, and our partnership with Toys R Us certainly does this.
“The brand has long been known for its exceptional range of toys and games and complements our existing offer well.
“Across each of the nine locations, we have a great team of colleagues who look forward to welcoming many new and existing customers over the coming weeks and showcasing the new store layout and, not forgetting, Geoffrey the Giraffe.”
Mike Kalasnik / Wikimedia
The first Toys R Us store in partnership with WHSmith will open on Saturday, June 10th in Monks Cross Retail Park, York, with a special grand opening event.
The remaining eight stores will gradually open their doors throughout the rest of the summer — yes, that soon! While the majority of the stores are down south, hopefully some more Northern sites will eventually open – including here in Manchester.
Morrisons supermarket cafe will be serving half-price fish and chips at just £3.49 for tomorrow only.
The supermarket will be halving the price of a plate of fish and chips in all its cafes in celebration of National Fish and Chips Day on Friday, June 2nd.
For one day only, hungry customers can catch the bargain chippy tea staple, priced at just £3.49 — not bad eh?
Morrisons
The children’s mini fish, chips and peas dish will also be reduced. You can net this one for just £2.74.
To claim the National Fish and Chips Day offer, diners will simply have to present their More Card at the café checkout.
A mum has issued a desperate plea to find her missing 14-year-old daughter.
A distraught mother has issued a plea to find her daughter who went missing six days ago.
Katelan Coates was last seen on Friday May 26th. She was last seen leaving Burnley bus station after travelling from Todmorden, West Yorkshire.
Her family say she may have travelled to Manchester or Stockport. It is believed the teenager could have used public transport to travel around the North West.
Family handout
In an appeal on Wednesday morning, May 31st, Katelan’s mum Tina wrote: “Please, please help find Katelan. Missing since Friday, that’s five nights sleeping god knows where?
“She might go in a McDonald’s, hang out on a park or city centre? We’re considering Burnley, Blackburn, Preston, Manchester and Blackpool, Stockport.
“She uses buses and trains to get around, she is only 14 years old. Please ring 999 log 1971 26/5.”
West Yorkshire Police
Lancashire and West Yorkshire police have also appealed to the public in a bid to help track the teenager down and bring her safely home. Katelan was seen arriving at Burnley bus station at 6.53pm last Friday.
She is described as a white female, around 5ft 5ins in height, with long brown hair. She was last seen wearing an orange vest top, black leggings and a black coat.
In a further appeal later yesterday, mum Tina wrote: “This post is just for Katelan Coates. You know how much you’re loved.
Family handout
“You know we will do anything/everything to help you. If that means we move or change school to give you a fresh start we will.
“If you can at least let us know you’re okay. Our door is always open, no questions or judgement. Love you always, mum and dad.”
Officers are ‘increasingly concerned’ for Katelan’s welfare and are urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to get in touch ‘without delay’.
Members of the public can contact police with information via the LiveChat function on the West Yorkshire Police Website, or by calling 101 quoting West Yorkshire Police reference 1971, of May 26th.