Non-essential shops close again as half the Anglia region enters Tier 4 lockdown

  • Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Hannah Pettifer

New coronavirus restrictions have come into force across around half of the Anglia region as cases continue to soar.

The Tier 4 lockdown affects Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Peterborough and most of Essex (excluding the districts of Tendring, Colchester and Uttlesford).

Harlow Barbers has closed again as most of Essex enters a Tier 4 lockdown. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Harlow Barbers in Essex had only just opened when the first lockdown hit in March.

Since then the business has struggled back despite the pandemic, but now news of a third lockdown over its busiest period of the year is almost too much to take.

Izzy Mustafa, from Harlow Barbers, said: "As always when we hear about a lockdown we've been devastated.

"When we did call up our appointments yesterday, what ended up happening is they all came to have their appointments yesterday so we had to stay open an hour later after work to get them all done, but all of our clients are really upset about it as well, it's not nice coming up to Christmas with everyone going scruffy into Christmas."

As of last night all areas previously in Tier 3 went into Tier 4.

All non-essential shops must close and different households cannot mix indoors including over Christmas.

Non-essential shops in Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire have had to close. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Robert Halfon, MP for Harlow, said: "We're in a national emergency at the moment. I am so sorry these decisions have been taken. The Government wouldn't be doing them if they weren't essential.

"I can only give my heart felt apologies to what they're going through, not just to businesses, but residents who are going to be unable to see their loved ones over the Christmas period."

The tiers will be reviewed again on 30th December, but with no guarantee that restrictions will be eased.