What you can and can't do in this second lockdown

The country will be placed into a national lockdown from tomorrow (Thursday 5 November), meaning you may only leave home for specific reasons under new restrictions.

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What will close?

Non-essential retail, such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, and market stalls selling non-essential goods. These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.

Hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs; with the exception of providing food and drink for takeaway (before 10pm; and not including alcohol), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery

Leisure and sports facilities such as leisure centres and gyms, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, golf courses, fitness and dance studios, climbing walls, archery, driving, and shooting ranges will close.

Entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, go-karting venues, soft play centres and areas, will also shut under the new lockdown rules.

Personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services must also close. It is also prohibited to provide these services in other peoples’ homes.

Community centres and halls must close except for a limited number of exempt activities, including education and training, childcare and supervised activities, blood donation and food banks, providing medical treatment.

Places of worship, apart from for the purposes of independent prayer, and service broadcasting and funerals.

Middleton Market has now ceased operating until Friday 4 December.

A statement released on Sunday 2 November on the market’s Facebook page says: “Following on from Saturday's Government announcement of a month long national lockdown and the enforced closure of all non-essential retail, it is with regret that Middleton Market will cease operating from tomorrow evening until Friday 4 December.”

Heywood Magic Market will close from Friday 6 November until guidelines allow.

A statement on the Heywood Magic Market Facebook page, dated 3 November, reads: “Heywood Magic Market will be closed from Friday 6 November 2020 until guidelines allow. Thank you for all your continued support and we hope to see you when we can continue to trade again. Take care and stay safe.”

Bowling greens are now closed and will remain so until 1 April 2021.

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What will remain open?

Shops which sell items considered essential – such as food or medicine – can remain open, including supermarkets, pharmacies and pet shops. Vets, garden centres and hardware stores will also remain open.

B&M released a statement via Facebook, confirming its status as an ‘essential retailer’ and will remain open as it did in the March-June lockdown.

Wilko also release a similar statement on social media, again classed as an essential retailer.

Poundland and Home Bargains are also expected to remain open as they did the first time.

The Range will also remain open, as it did in the previous lockdown, and has extended its opening hours in Rochdale until 10pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Libraries can also remain open to provide access to IT and digital services - for example for people who do not have it at home - and for click-and-collect.

The following can also remain open:

• Petrol Stations, car repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses.
• Banks, building societies, post offices, loan providers and money transfer businesses
• Funeral directors
• Launderettes and dry cleaners
• Medical and dental services
• Agricultural supplies shops
• Storage and distribution facilities
• Car parks, public toilets and motorway service areas
• Outdoor playgrounds

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Recycling Centres

Recycling Centres across Greater Manchester will remain open throughout the proposed period of restrictions, but residents are urged to only make essential visits.

Residents are encouraged to separate waste and recycling before visiting; keep two metres away from other site users; and wash their hands before and after their visit.

Social distancing measures are in place.

• https://recycleforgreatermanchester.com/recycling-centres-reopening-faqs/

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Can I go to the dentist or doctor, or take my pet to the vet?

You can leave home for any medical reason, including to get a Covid-19 test, appointments and emergencies, to visit someone who is giving birth or dying, to avoid or escape risk of injury or harm (such as domestic abuse), to visit someone in a care home (if permitted under care home guidance), hospice, hospital, to accompany them to a medical appointment, or to go to the vets (or other animal welfare services).

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Can I attend a funeral?

Funerals can continue with a maximum of 30 people attending, but the advice is that fewer mourners should attend along with close family and friends if possible. Linked ceremonial events such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 15 people in attendance. Anyone working is not counted in the 15 or 30. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

Bereavement services remain unchanged and the council continues to provide free live webcasting for services held in chapels at Rochdale and Middleton crematoriums.

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Can I go to a wedding or get married?

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover (‘deathbed wedding’). These weddings are limited to 6 people.

The registrar’s office at Rochdale Cemetery will be closed to the public but will continue to accept pre-arranged appointments.

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Can I attend a place of worship?
You can leave home to attend a place of worship for individual prayer, a funeral or a related event for someone who has died, to visit a burial ground or a remembrance garden, or to attend a deathbed wedding.

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Can I go to work?

Everyone who can work effectively from home must do so. Where people cannot do so - including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing - they should continue to travel to their workplace.

Public sector employees working in essential services, including childcare or education, should continue to go into work.

Where it is necessary to work in other people’s homes - for example, for nannies, cleaners or tradespeople - you can do so.

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Can my children go to school?

Schools, colleges and universities remain open. The government will not be closing core educational facilities, like early years settings, schools, colleges, universities and vocational training centres.

Senior clinicians still advise that school is the best place for children to be, and so they should continue to go to school.

For those who are home-schooled, pupils can still access education and training in community settings where needed to receive a suitable full-time education.

If you live at university, you must not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time. You should only return home at the end of term. 

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Can I travel?

If you live in England, you cannot travel overseas or within the UK, unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons, and you should look to reduce the number of journeys you make.

However you can still travel for a number of reasons, including:

• travelling to work where this cannot be done from home
• travelling to education and for caring responsibilities
• to visit those in your support bubble - or your childcare bubble for childcare
• hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health
• to buy goods or services from premises that are open, including essential retail
• to spend time or exercise outdoors - this should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)
• attending the care and exercise of a pet, or veterinary services

You must not travel if you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms, are self-isolating as a result of coronavirus symptoms, are sharing a household or support bubble with somebody with symptoms, or have been told to self-isolate after being contacted by NHS Test and Trace. The fine for breaching self isolation rules start at £1,000. This could increase to up to £10,000 for repeat offences and the most serious breaches, including for those preventing others from self-isolating.

If you need to use public transport - to travel to work for example - you should follow the safer travel guidance. This includes the rules on wearing face coverings and advice on car sharing.

Overnight stays and holidays away from primary residences will not be allowed - including holidays in the UK and abroad. This includes staying in a second home or caravan, if you own one, or staying with anyone you do not live with or are in a support bubble with.

You are allowed to stay overnight away from your home if you:

• are unable to return to your main residence
• need accommodation while moving house
• need accommodation to attend a funeral or related commemorative event
• require accommodation for work purposes or to provide voluntary services
• are a child requiring accommodation for school or care
• are homeless, seeking asylum or a vulnerable person seeking refuge
• are an elite athlete or their support staff or parent, if the athlete is under 18

If you were already on holiday, you should return to your home as soon as practical and comply with the ‘stay at home’ requirements in your holiday accommodation in the meantime.

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Single adult households can still form exclusive support bubbles with one other household, and children will still be able to move between homes if their parents are separated.

The guidance from government is that if you are clinically vulnerable, or over the age of 60, you should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others.