Covid-19: South of Hertfordshire to enter tier 3

The south of Hertfordshire will move into England's highest tier of coronavirus restrictions from 00:01 GMT on Wednesday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that parts of the county, along with London and parts of Essex, would enter tier three.

The decision affects Broxbourne, Hertsmere, Watford and Three Rivers.

The tier three restrictions will see pubs and restaurants closed except for takeaway and delivery services.

The move was made ahead of a review of tiers nationally due to take place on Wednesday.

The remaining six district council areas in Hertfordshire will remain in tier two ahead of that review.

The infection rate in Broxbourne was 390 cases per 100,000 people in the week to 9 December - the 16th highest for a district in England.

Watford had the 37th highest rate with 272 cases per 100,000 people, while Hertsmere recorded 237 cases per 100,000 people.

The leader of Hertfordshire County Council, David Williams, said the authority recognised the "concerns that this escalation will prompt with both residents and businesses and the additional restrictions and tougher rules that this involves.

"The government has taken this decision in response to the very significant increase in case numbers across the county and due to the proximity of these four district areas to north London and Essex where infection rates have also been growing significantly."

He said people "must all stay disciplined and stick to the guidance and rules if we are to improve the situation in Hertfordshire."

The elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said the new measures "mean pubs, cafes and restaurants in the borough will have to close and people should stick to just going out when absolutely necessary."

He added: "I know this will be tough on a lot of people, but if we follow the rules hopefully we can bring the numbers down in Watford and return to a less restrictive set of measures as soon as possible."

The leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, Morris Bright, called the news "a blow for residents and businesses, particularly those in our hospitality industry".

Mr Bright said people must continue to do "what it takes to protect our families and our community" including following social distancing guidelines and the rule of six.

Sarah Nelmes, leader of Three Rivers District Council, said: "While Covid infection rates in Three Rivers are lower than some other areas, we know the virus doesn't respect administrative boundaries and we need to work together to keep the virus under control.

"This will be very disappointing to some residents and especially businesses in the hospitality sector which were hoping to get back to a position that is closer to normal.

"But right now it is essential that we focus on bringing the transmission rate down as soon as we can and keeping everyone safe."

Watford Football Club said: "Following the government's announcement this afternoon, we are looking forward to welcoming 2,000 of you to Vicarage Road tomorrow night, for what could be the final time in 2020.

"For those with Boxing Day reservations, we will be in touch by email tomorrow."

The Confederation of British Industry's East Of England director Richard Tunncliffe said it was important the tightening of restrictions was "shaped by clear evidence" and consistently applied".

"The financial impact of moving into tier three will be stark," he said.

Read more about the tier three rules