Coronavirus: Leicester lockdown to be reviewed on Monday

A review of local lockdown measures in Leicester will take place on Monday, the government has confirmed.

Officials said on Friday the city, along with areas of northern England, must still restrict household gatherings and some leisure activities.

A further relaxation of restrictions on beauty treatments, wedding receptions, and indoor performances in England will not take place in Leicester.

The city was the first in the UK to have a local lockdown on 29 June.

Leicester was left to watch as much of the rest of England saw restrictions eased on 4 July.

Since then it has seen these eased, allowing businesses like pubs and restaurants to reopen on 3 August.

However, along with areas of the North West, West Yorkshire, and East Lancashire, people cannot mix indoors - unless they are in a support bubble - and limits remain on numbers meeting outside.

Neither can some venues in these places - including casinos, bowling alleys and conference halls - reopen on Saturday, while across the rest of England they can do so.

But while infection rates in the northern hotspots are rising or static, they are predominantly falling in Leicester.

At the end of June, Leicester's seven-day infection rate was 135 cases per 100,000. That has now more than halved to 67 cases per 100,000 last week.

The infection rate has increased slightly from 52 cases per 100,000 between 28 July and 3 August.

A DHSC spokesman said: "The latest data for Leicester shows that infection rates have declined thanks to the efforts of the local area, so a further review is being carried out and an update will be given early next week.

"In the meantime, the current restrictions will remain in place."

Some Leicester MPs have been critical of the delay to review lockdown restrictions in Leicester.

Labour MP for Leicester South and shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said on Twitter the Conservative government was treating the city like "an afterthought", adding: "People across Leicester deserve better."

Current restrictions allow people to meet others in groups of up to six individuals, or two households in outdoor public places.

Pools, indoor gyms and other leisure facilities as well as nail bars, spas and beauty salons are to remain closed in Bradford, Blackburn and Leicester.

Beauty salon owner Madhavi Pandya said she has had to cancel clients she was hoping to see on Saturday, as restrictions are eased in the rest of England.

The 37-year-old added clients are "starting to lose patience".

"I don't know if these people will come back," she said.

The city council added those who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable and shielding until at least 7 September will get a letter or text from the NHS stating that guidance will be slightly relaxed from Monday.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].