I would have to live in the one region of the south west still in Tier 3...

[bathsh3ba]

So I live in South Gloucestershire.

When we went into Tier 3, our rates were a good 100 per 100k below Bristol. We were put into Tier 3 because of our supposed dependence on Bristol hospitals, as I understand it.

Now Bristol has come right down and come out of Tier 3, but we are still there. Our rate is about 150 per 100k I believe, but this is concentrated in the parts of the county around Bristol mainly. I don't know on what basis they kept us in, I think cases have risen again slightly after falling so maybe that is it. But at my end of the county our rate is 56 and falling. Seems we lose out every time. If I'm this angry, I can only imagine how angry Northern Tier 3ers and Leicester people must be. I seriously can't see the logic.

I'm in Derbyshire, our rate in my borough is about 112 but the city centre is going up. Many other areas in the county are lower. I hear you!

I'm on Yorkshire and in an area that's falling and is now below the average, but still in tier 3. I feel ya!

They can get away with this sort of thing because they have deliberately refused to publish objective guidelines by which they will make their decisions. They just have parameters which they say they will refer to but don't seem to be making public any of the rationales behind the decisions made.

The lack of transparency is quite disgusting and I cannot wait for the eventual public enquiry into this shit show.

The trick appears to be to live in a tiny county.

I'm starting to think they just roll a dice. Or use a magic 8 ball.

Shit isn’t it 😢

Just been online to check the data and it can't be because we're rising because N Somerset, which went from Tier 3 to Tier 2 rose by 13% and we rose by 16% so very close. Maybe it's as simple as being over 150 - it shows our case rate for the county as a whole as 155 per 100,000. But N Somerset 130, Glos 135, so not so very far behind! Bradley Stoke and Kingswood which are right on the border with Bristol (and which most of us would consider to be part of Bristol) do have very high rates. But the rest of us - not so much. Maybe it's our utterly useless MP not bothering to fight for us.

I hate when things don't make sense. Solidarity to others in the same boat....

I live in Gloucester, so only a few miles from south Gloucestershire area. We have about 220 per 100k, but are in tier 2. No idea how we arent in tier 3 tbh.

It pisses me off even more that all the MPs were congratulating Bristol and Somerset on getting their rates down, so they’re being “rewarded” by moving down a tier, yet their rates are still higher than ours in North Lancashire 🤨.

Hi, we're in Leicester and yes, pissed off isn't the word. I've tried to support local restaurants and shops as much as I can but I think the city will take years to recover

I'm furious and we have only been in Tier 3 for a few weeks so, as I said, can't imagine how furious those who have been in it for much longer might be.

Still I suppose we'll probably all either be in Tier 3 or in full lockdown come January.

Well I'm in south Wales...

I am Bristol just so close to sgc border.
2 of my kids go sgc school
My gps is south glos
Its a very odd decision.
My Facebook feed is full of anger and lots saying they off to pubs in Bristol.
Bradley stoke has massive issue no idea why . 1 of the primary school had 21 postives and outbreak at the library.
But most people in Bradley stoke work in different areas.
Kingswood the border is split half is sgc and other half Bristol same as hanham.

I also wonder if UWE direct skew sgc figures .

It makes no sense. People won't follow the rules.
We share the same hospitals as sgc has no hospital and soutmead covid numbers increasing.

I’m in Gloucester too @MummaBear4321 and was fully expecting to be Tier 3 today.

@3asAbird, I'm on the other side of the county, closer to Bath than Bristol. I think most people in our area are just going across the border to Wilts or BANES (and would be much more likely to be taken to the RUH than the BRI or Southmead). A lot of anger here too. I didn't realise Kingswood was half-in, half-out. Does Bradley Stoke include Cribbs as that could be why?

Cribbs isn't in Bradley Stoke, more Henbury?
I'm on the border with South Glos... been supporting my local high street lots which is in South Glos. I'm very surprised, I thought they counted BRistol, South Glos and North Somerset as one because they're so intertwined.
Hope it comes down soon for you

@TreesoftheField, well there's your proof I hardly ever go to Bristol! We go to Cribbs occasionally and that's it. I've been into Bristol centre once in four years, I think.

It could be because of other figures that are taken into account and may differ - in particular nhs capacity and where the figures and growth rate are in relation to that.

I'm in the north east tier 3 and to be honest nothing has changed for me. I wouldn't even know there was any kind of restrictions.

Luckily for me the only inconvenience I've had is our Christmas Eve breakfast at a pub has been cancelled and I think that's more about the pub likely going down the shitter than any COVID restrictions.

I really feel for anyone who has been affected by tiers and restrictions

I am in the same area. We are a tiny island of tier 3 surrounded on all sides by tier 2. It's ridiculous!

A few of us do an activity near Bristol centre. We aren't allowed because we are tier 3. Another friend lives in South Wales who have just come out of lock down. She can drive through South Glos to get to Bristol for the activity!

They tested all the UWE students before they went home. I wonder if that is what has led to the increase?

@Fileexplorrrr I dont know how we have escaped it really. I also kept saying to myself 'how are the figures so bad compared to Cheltenham, Worcester etc?!?' And then I took a rare trip to Asda in town today and I saw about 30 people not wearing a mask. Full families without a mask between them. I usually shop in aldi outside of Gloucester and never see anyone without a mask. Now I get the figures.

Would the fact that the Gloucestershire hospitals are now in big trouble Covid wise make a difference? Presumably they might be expecting that some patients might need transferring to other hospitals.

But UWE students mostly live in Bristol don’t they? Frenchay, Fishponds etc.
The way I see it South Glos can’t have it both ways. When we went into tier 3, everyone in south glos said ‘but it’s only because of us being close to Bristol, they’re the ones with the high figures!’ Now we’re tier 3 everyone says ‘but Bristol isn’t, that’s not faaaaiirr.’ Make up your mind!

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

Would the fact that the Gloucestershire hospitals are now in big trouble Covid wise make a difference? Presumably they might be expecting that some patients might need transferring to other hospitals.

Rafels despite the name its not really near the county of Gloucestershire which includes Gloucester and Cheltenham their rates are higher and their hospitals getting overwhelmed. I do wonder if some thick civil servant got them confused but saying that Gloucestershire is tier 2 and stayed tier 2. South glos is outskirts suburbs Bristol and small villages and towns like yate or Thornbury. Sgc borders bath and North East Somerset, Wiltshire and Bristol all tier 2 areas now. South glos no longer has a hospital they use the 2 in Bristol or ruh in bath.

I see Kingswood mp Chris's skidmoore not happy and written to matt Hancock.

@MummaBear4321 we count as Gloucestershire but in the Cotswold region - really low cases here but as part of Glos were Tier 2. Im assuming its areas like this keeping Gloucester (and Stroud to an extent) in Tier 2!

I was thinking about where the obvious place to send the gloucester/cheltenham patients is and it's likely to be Bath or the Bristol hospitals. Which would reduce their capacity to take patients when the rate of increase in S Gloucs increases with a reduction in tier.

I do agree about Gloucester not being moved up to tier 3 though. That makes no sense.