West Yorkshire restrictions: Sports facilities reopen in Bradford as Leeds faces 'movement restrictions' warning
From today (Tuesday 8 September), people living across the Bradford district will have access to more facilities as some lockdown restrictions are eased.
Swimming pools, indoor gyms, dance studios and other indoor sports facilities are allowed to open. Furthermore, casinos, skating rinks and indoor play areas are reopening across the area.
Beauticians across West Yorkshire are also now permitted to carry out more face treatments.
However, the current local restrictions on gatherings will remain in place in all Bradford wards, except for Craven, Ilkley, Worth Valley, Baildon, Bingley, Bingley Rural, Shipley, Wharfedale, Windhill & Wrose, which were lifted from local restrictions on 2 September.
In areas still subject to local restrictions, people are not allowed to have visitors from or visit other households in their home or garden (other than those in support bubbles). People living in those areas must not socialise with others outside their household in other indoor public venues.
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The Leader of Bradford Council, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, said:
She added:
The easing of restrictions in Bradford comes as people living in Leeds are warned they could face "movement restrictions", if the spread of coronavirus continues to worsen in the city.
That's according to Mariana Pexton, Leeds City Council's chief corporate support officer, who told a council meeting that measures might have to be introduced to restrict the movement of individuals, due to concerns over young people mixing together.
Leeds was added to Public Health England's weekly watch list of areas of concern on Friday 4 September, following an increase in coronavirus cases over the previous weeks.
Ms Pexton told Leeds City Council's strategy and resources scrutiny board:
She added:
“But we have this more dynamic pattern now of young people, across the city. It is more to do with social gatherings, coming back from holiday and exam celebrations. The solution to that is potentially different in terms of movement restrictions.
“We are ramping communications up to tackle that and stem that flow of the increase. If we need to, we will need to consider movement restrictions."
Latest coronavirus figures:
In Leeds the seven-day rate is 41.6 cases per 100,000 people, up from 27.5 with 330 new cases. It is the highest rate since mid-May.
The latest seven-day rate in Bradford is 67.8 cases per 100,000 people - the third highest in England, up from 44.3. Some 366 new cases were recorded in the seven days to September 3. The rate in Bradford is currently at levels last seen in late June.