Slough Borough Council 'expecting' Tier 3 restrictions when national lockdown ends

Slough Borough Council is expecting to be placed in Tier 3 when the national lockdown ends on December 2.

The Government announced the country will return to tiered restrictions next week with areas deemed to have very rapidly rising infections placed in the ‘very high alert’ category.

Slough’s infection rate currently stands at 351 cases per 100,000 people in the general population and 260 cases per 100,000 for those over 60.

A spokeswoman for the council said it is bracing itself for the toughest restrictions.

She said: “Going on the basis of our numbers we think it will be unlikely that we will come out in Tier 2, we think it is far more likely we will come out in Tier 3.”

Restrictions in Tier 3 include:

• Hospitality settings such as bars, cafes and restaurants must close but can still operate a takeaway service.
• You must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with or is not in your support bubble
• Accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs and campsites must close. Exemptions are in place who use these venues as their main place of residence 
• Indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close including indoor play centres, casinos, cinemas and ice skating rinks

Leisure and sports facilities, including gyms, will be able to open as well as non-essential shops.

But fans will be banned from attending spectator sports, although elite sport will be able to continue behind-closed-doors.

An official announcement on which restrictions Slough will face is expected to be made on Thursday.