Newcastle comes to terms with new Christmas restrictions
Video report by Kris Jepson
People in Newcastle say they are disappointed with the changes to the Christmas relaxation of Covid restrictions, but understand the reasoning behind it.
Travel plans within and beyond the UK have been cancelled amid growing concerns about a new Covid-19 variant spreading in the country.
The development prompted a last minute change from the government, scrapping the festive travel window between December 23-27.
While many other countries have banned arrivals from the UK in a bid to stop the highly transmissible variant from spreading within their shores.
Newcastle is in Tier 3 and that means you can form a 'Christmas Bubble' with a maximum of two other households on Christmas Day only. That means you can go inside their homes, a place of worship together and meet in public outdoor places.
If you form a Christmas Bubble you are advised to stay local and keep your visits short. You must not stay overnight.
One man told ITV News: "it’s affecting me, it’s affecting the transport, it's affecting other people’s families. If things had been sorted and families and grandparents wanted to see their loved ones, let it happen".
Another man said: "normally my kids and that come and see me on Boxing Day. Obviously they can’t do that now, can they? So it’s going to be a big upset that they’re not going to get their presents till whatever happens with the lockdown".
A woman said: "I’m a bit gutted, but like I guess you have to do what you have to do" and another said "people haven’t seen their families since March time and now they still can’t see them at Christmas, it’s just awful".
Another lady said: "I do feel for everybody that it’s impacted. I think it is rubbish and it’s hard to feel festive with everything that is going on".
Amanda Hart, who lives and works in London, was supposed to visit her mother-in-law in Hampshire on Christmas Day and her own step mother in Cramlington on Boxing Day.
Now she is trapped in Tier 4 restrictions, she cannot travel and both her mother-in-law and step mother face spending Christmas alone now.
Amanda said: "She's (step-mother) being very stoic, as is very common for her generation.
One butcher in Newcastle's Grainger Market told ITV News his stall has sold up to 60 turkeys in the last 24 hours.
He said demand for Christmas food has increased since the Prime Minister announced changes to the relaxation.
Alex said: "People are panic buying. It’s a bit like when we first went into the first lockdown.
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