Why is Nottinghamshire facing the harshest tier 3 restrictions?

Nottinghamshire is now under tier 3 restrictions and they are the most severe in England.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

As well as the standard closure of hospitality venues which don’t serve a substantial meal – which is the case in all tier 3 areas – there will also be closures of businesses which have been allowed to remain open elsewhere.

Unlike Liverpool, Manchester, and South Yorkshire, beauty salons and tattoo parlours will also have to close.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Restrictions on cafes will mean they are no longer allowed to offer teas and coffees, unless people are eating a main meal.

Nottinghamshire has been placed under the toughest Covid restrictions in the UK. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesNottinghamshire has been placed under the toughest Covid restrictions in the UK. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Nottinghamshire has been placed under the toughest Covid restrictions in the UK. Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Shops will also be prohibited from selling alcohol after 9pm – a measure which has also not been seen elsewhere.

Coun David Mellen, Nottingham City Council leader, said: “We heavily relied on the advice from our directors of public health in the county and in the city.

“Yes I’m sure nail bars and other similar businesses are not happy, but we will obviously try to make sure the compensation package will take that into account.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There was a strong push from the directors of public health that we needed to have measures which were going to enable us to reduce the spread of the virus.”

Coun Jason Zadrozny, the leader of Ashfield District Council, was opposed to the extra restrictions.

He said: “What about a doctor, who’s been working 60 hours a week and wants a glass of wine on a Friday night, and deserves it, they’re 10 minutes late into Aldi that’s it, he’s done.

“It seems so arbitrary to me.”

Asked why he thought the measures were harsher than elsewhere, he said: “It’s entirely down to Jonathan Gribbin and Alison Challenger (the directors of public health for Nottinghamshire and Nottingham, respectively).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They made the decision because they felt the basic tier 3 restrictions weren’t enough for Nottinghamshire.

“Their argument is that all the concern is for the over-60s category, which I totally buy.

“But then the sectors we’ve closed are not the sectors used by the over-60s.

"What gran do you know that’s getting a tan and then a tattoo, or getting drunk of a Friday night?

“It’s not the same sectors – no-one over 60 is going to have gel nails put on.

“It’s entirely the public health directors – they unilaterally decided tier 3 wasn’t strong enough.”