Leicester lockdown: Schools and shops to open in but pubs stay closed as city continues to battle outbreak

Schools and shops will reopen but pubs will remain closed in Leicester as the city continues to battle a coronavirus outbreak, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced.

The number of cases of Covid-19 was still too high to announce anything except a partial lifting of restrictions, he told MPs.

Earlier Leicester's mayor urged ministers to lift the local lockdown in 90% of the city - and warned that another two-week extension would leave residents "very angry indeed''.

From 24 July schools and non-essential shops, which were closed as part of the local lockdown, can reopen. 

But pubs and restaurants, which have now opened in the rest of England, will still be forced to keep their doors shut.
 

Mr Hancock also announced a new local power to close non-essential shops in Leicester where necessary.

He said: "The latest data shows that the seven-day infection rate in Leicester is now 119 cases per 100,000 people and the percentage of people testing positive is now at 4.8%."

He compared the figures to when the lockdown was imposed and the seven-day infection rate was 135 and 10% of tests were positive.

"These are positive indicators, especially in light of the huge increase in testing," he said.

Mr Hancock paid tribute to the people of Leicester and Leicestershire for their "perseverance and hard work" during the local lockdown.

He told MPs the measures remained “vital for the health of everyone in Leicester and the rest of the country”.

But he said he hoped that the “careful easing” of restrictions would being some comfort to local people.

The measures in Leicester will be reviewed in a fortnight.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "If we still have to make further personal sacrifice to keep people safe and hunt this virus down with the lockdown, then so be it.

"But there's no question there will be a degree of dismay across the city in response to the Secretary of State's remarks."

Mr Ashworth said many businesses will want to know if they can get extra support if they cannot reopen.