Leaders warn ‘enjoy your freedoms responsibly’

North East leaders have urged the region’s residents and businesses to remain cautious as coronavirus restrictions are eased from today.

Restaurants, bars and non-essential shops will be able to reopen as England advances to the next stage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown.

North East leaders representing Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, and County Durham told residents and businesses to ‘enjoy the freedoms available to us responsibly’.

The statement said: “As the next step of the roadmap out of lockdown comes into effect, we’re asking residents across the North East to be cautious as we are once again able to visit shops, personal care premises, indoor leisure facilities and outdoor hospitality settings.

“From today, these businesses will be able to reopen their doors, offering a welcome boost to employers and to the emotional and physical wellbeing of all our communities.”

The appeal for caution comes after it emerged last week that Newcastle had seen England’s second highest week-on-week rise in infection rates in the seven days to April 2, jumping from 41.6 to 58.8 new weekly cases per 100,000 people.

This increase was due to an outbreak at the Novotel Newcastle Airport hotel, in Kingston Park, as opposed to a more widespread uptick in infections.

The hotel, which is being used to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, reported 36 positive cases among employees, security staff, and residents.