COVID Update: changes for England, Scotland and Wales

Changes in coronavirus restrictions for three home nations were announced by the leaders. Areas of England and the entirety of Wales will go into tighter restrictions and Scotland will do the same from 26 December. 

The Prime Minister has this evening announced that London and parts of the south and east of the country will be placed under new tier four restrictions from midnight tonight.

These will effectively replicate the national lockdown restrictions that were in place in England throughout November. Tier four restrictions will apply in all current tier three regions in the South East, covering the following areas:

• Kent
• Buckinghamshire
• Berkshire
• Surrey (excluding Waverley)
• Boroughs of Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, Rother and Hastings
• London (all 32 boroughs and the City of London)
• Bedford
• Central Bedfordshire
• Milton Keynes
• Luton
• Peterborough
• Hertfordshire
• Essex (excluding Colchester, Uttlesford and Tendring)

The lockdown restrictions will last for a minimum of two weeks, with the first review due on 30 December. Further details are available on the government website.

This was shortly followed by confirmation from First Minister Mark Drakeford that Wales would also go into full Level 4 lockdown from midnight tonight, bringing forward nationwide restrictions by eight days from the original date of 28 December announced earlier this week.

As per previous full lockdowns, all BD training and competition activity in Tier 4 areas in England and the whole of Wales will be suspended in these areas from midnight tonight. This unfortunately includes the Quest Regional finals at Beacons and we’ll be in touch with competitors in due course about final placings for the region.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also announced that all areas in the mainland will enter Level 4 from Boxing Day onwards, for a period of at least three weeks, with mandatory travel restrictions in force by law. Travel across the border into England will also be prohibited. As with previous level 4 restrictions implemented across Scotland, outdoor, non-contact sport may continue (with covered arenas given exemption to be classified as outdoor) however the mandatory travel restrictions do remain in place which prevents anyone from travelling outside their own local authority area for organised sport.

In England, activity will continue in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 under our strict COVID protocols and members who reside in regions with Tier 4 restrictions should not travel out of their area to take part in any BD competitions or training activity. We also advise those who live in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 to stay local and not travel out of your area where possible.

Venues in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 should not accept entries from any competitors based in Tier 4 areas and judges who reside in Tier 4 are advised not to travel out of the area to officiate.

We will provide further updates for members on any travel restrictions or additional guidance from the respective governments as we receive them.

The LeMieux National Grand Prix Championships at Hartpury, Gloucestershire, will go ahead as planned on Monday 21 & Tuesday 22 December, as the event is being run behind closed doors under elite sport protocols. Members can watch safely from the comfort of their own home, with all of the action brought to you live and free by Horse & Country TV.