MANY in Bristol hit the pubs and bars last night to celebrate moving into Tier 2 as millions faced tougher restrictions last night.
Pals were seen chatting outdoors and having drinks after not being able to see each other under Tier 3 restrictions.
Bristol is one the two regions that moved from Tier 3 to 2 along with North Somerset.
Pubs and bars weren’t allowed to open under Tier 3 – meaning Bristolians couldn’t enjoy a night out after lockdown ended.
Now under Tier 2 restrictions, people can mix households as long as they sit outdoors and the rule of six still applies.
Millions were dragged from Tier 2 to Tier 5 including London, Kent and Essex in less than a week.
Last night, thousands of Londoners defied the Government and fled the capital after Boris Johnson cancelled Christmas for millions in the South East.
The city’s stations were said to be like “war zones” as locals skipped town before the tough new Tier 4 lockdown came into effect at midnight.
Within hours there were long queues of traffic on roads out of London and chaotic crushes at railway terminals as people fled to avoid the brutal new restrictions.
Travel and mixing households are banned under the new highest level tier – with families elsewhere only allowed to form ‘Christmas bubbles’ on December 25 itself, the PM told the nation.
Mr Johnson told around 18 million Brits in Tier 4 the tough crackdown will help save lives with a new mutant strain of the virus sweeping through the south of England.
He said: “Yes, Christmas this year will be very different, but we must be realistic.
“We are sacrificing our chance to see loved ones this Christmas, so we have a better chance of protecting their lives so we can see them at future Christmases. “
He said people would be “disappointed” but vowed he was following the science as a result of the new rapidly-spreading strain.
The PM said he “bitterly regretted” cancelling holidays for millions of people. The new restrictions would be reviewed again on December 30.
People throughout England are advised to “stay local” and avoid overseas travel, while those in Tier 4 will only be able to go abroad for essential business.
