NORTH-EAST residents will be once again allowed to leave the house, go to the gym and get a haircut this week as the region comes out of Covid lockdown.

Placed in the highest tier with the most stringent restrictions, residents in County Durham, Darlington, Teesside and Tyne and Wear can do less than their southern counterparts but, despite this, some businesses are set to welcome back customers.

As well as essential shops that are already open, which includes food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, hardware stores and off-licences, the businesses open in Tier 3 as of Wednesday, December 2, are:

  • Non-essential retailers, including clothing stores and toy shops - clothes store Primark is even opening for 24-hours in Gateshead
  • Pubs, restaurants, cafes, bars and shisha venues are open for takeaway, delivery, drive-through or click and collect
  • Gyms, although group exercise classes are banned
  • Swimming pools and leisure centres are open as well as the likes of golf and riding centres.
  • Hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services like massage parlours and tanning salons are open this time around
  • Places of worship
  • Outdoor public spaces are open for socialising with up to six people - the 'rule of six'. This includes parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden and grounds of a heritage site or castle

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Accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must also close unless you are using it as your main residence or for work or education and training. 

While large outdoor events are also banned, drive-in events are given the green light.