Manchester bars last evening ahead of Tier 3 rules

Last orders at bars and last calls at bingo halls were heard in Manchester on Thursday night as the city shut down parts of its service industry following the UK government's decision to raise coronavirus restrictions to their highest level. For business owners like Dean Mac who runs a live music bar and plays in a band, things are looking bleak.

"We are hemorrhaging money just to even try and keep the band alive. And there is no light at end of the tunnel," Mac told British broadcaster Sky News. 

The closure of bingo halls that provide social interaction and entertainment for a largely aging population is concerning for support worker Jenny Render. "When they find themselves sitting back in their houses again with no company...nothing to do. That's when it really starts to tell," she said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a three-tier alert system last week for England. But many have objected that the rules are confusing, and Johnson has faced strong resistance from local leaders like the mayor of Greater Manchester, who refused to move his region into the highest-risk level without being assured of financial aid for affected businesses.