'It's a big conundrum': Yorkshire couple's house in different Covid tier to garden

As England navigates the Covid-19 tier system, spare a thought for one Yorkshire couple for whom it is anything but straightforward.

Sheila Herbert and her husband, Philip, from the picturesque market town of Otley, live in a house in tier 2, while their garden is tier 3.

“It’s all one big conundrum,” said Sheila, 74, explaining that their quiet cul-de-sac home of 18 years was built over a culvert that runs directly under their garden, with the underground channel of water acting as the official boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

“Our house is in Harrogate and our garden is in Leeds. The culvert cuts right through my garden. In fact, it goes right underneath the corner of the conservatory,” she told the local paper.

Under government restrictions it means that though, under tier 2, the couple should be able to meet people in their garden, under tier 3 they are prohibited.

While most of the homeowners on their street pay their taxes to Harrogate borough council, eight houses at the bottom end fall under Leeds city council’s remit, with the couple on the border.

From 2 December, England will be divided into three different tiers of restrictions. They are slightly amended from the previous system.

Across all tiers, shops, personal care, gyms and the wider leisure sector are set to reopen. Collective worship and weddings – with a maximum of 15 in attendance – can also resume.

Tier one

Under the new system hospitality businesses in England can stay open until 11pm with table service only but last orders must be made by 10pm, in an effort to stagger departures. The “rule of six” will also remain in place indoors, meaning social household mixing is still allowed.

Spectator sport is set to resume, albeit with limits on numbers and abiding by social distancing. In tier 1, there will be a maximum crowd capacity outdoors of 50% of occupancy of the stadium or 4,000 people, whichever is smaller. Indoors, the maximum capacity is 1,000.

In tier 1, people will be encouraged to minimise travel and work from home where possible. Support bubbles – which allowed a single household to join with another household – are also being broadened across all tiers. Parents with a child under one will be able to form a support bubble, as well as those with a child under five who needs continuous care, such as a child with a disability. Also, in cases where there is a single adult carer, for a partner with dementia for example, they would also be able to form a support bubble.

How was it before?

In the least restrictive tier, also known as alert level “medium”, the rule of six applied indoors and outdoors, meaning up to half a dozen people from different households could gather. Hospitality businesses, such as pubs and restaurants, could stay open but were forced to shut by 10pm – a move that prompted much criticism, including from Conservative backbenchers.

Tier two

Under the new system, although hospitality venues will be allowed to stay open until 11pm – with last orders at 10pm – only those that serve substantial meals can operate. It means pubs and bars that do not will have to close.

As before, social mixing outside of households or support bubbles will not be allowed indoors. The rule of six will apply outdoors.

Spectators will be allowed to watch sport in tier 2, with a maximum crowd capacity outdoors of 50% of the capacity of the stadium or 2,000 people, whichever is smaller. Indoors, the maximum capacity is 1,000.

Indoor entertainment venues, such as cinemas, casinos and bowling alleys, must also close.

How was it before?

In the “high” alert level tier people were prohibited from mixing socially indoors with anybody outside of their household or support bubble but the rule of six remained in place outdoors. Hospitality businesses, such as pubs and restaurants, could open until 10pm but people were only allowed to visit with their household or support bubble.

Tier three

Hospitality venues will have to close, except for delivery and takeaway service. In tier 3, hotels and other accommodation providers must also close, except for specific work purposes where people cannot return home. Outdoor sports, including golf and tennis, will be allowed to continue in all tiers, as will amateur team sports such as football. Unlike the first two tiers, spectators will not be allowed to watch sport in tier 3.

How was it before?

In the most restrictive tier, known as the “very high” alert level that was endured by vast swathes of the north of England, mixing socially indoors between households – unless a support bubble was in place – was banned. Under baseline measures hospitality venues serving substantial food could remain open until 10pm. Up to six people from different households could socialise outdoors in public spaces, such as parks, beaches or public gardens.

They are not the only ones for whom the restrictions make little sense. The village of Groombridge boasts two pubs, but the Crown Inn lies in Kent’s tier 3, while the Junction is in East Sussex’s tier 2. The pubs are less than half-a-mile apart, with a seven-minute walk between them.

As the 1,600 residents on both sides are not supposed to cross the county border, at a bridge over the river, the Kent side of the village cannot go to the East Sussex pub.

The Crown’s landlord, Steve Harmes, described it as “horrendous”. Not being able to open was “very frustrating”, he told the BBC. “Being put in this position, it’s really hard for us to move forward.”

Meanwhile, the Junction’s landlady, Tiffany Pearson-Gills, said the situation was “perplexing”. She said: “It’s great for us, but it doesn’t make sense that the Crown up the road cannot open. It’s just so close, it’s a really, really difficult one. It’s quite perplexing for everyone, for such a small village as well … it just doesn’t make any sense at all.”

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