Betting shops in Greater Manchester stay open but Tier 3 closure threat remains

There was no annnouncement from the government on Thursday of tighter Covid-19 restrictions being brought into the Greater Manchester area, meaning around 400 betting shops in the region can remain open for now at least.

But Greater Manchester and potentially Lancashire remain at risk of being placed in the most restrictive coronavirus alert category of very high by the government.

On Monday the Liverpool City region became the first in the UK to be placed under Tier 3 restrictions, leading to 400 shops on Merseyside being forced to shut their doors to punters on Wednesday, a development the Betting and Gaming Council's Michael Dugher described as "pure tokenism".

Greater Manchester's betting shops contribute £54 million to the Exchequer in tax and £12.5m to racing in the form of levy and media rights payments.

On Thursday health secretary Matt Hancock delivered an update to the House of Commons on new restrictions – including the upgrading of London to Tier 2 – although he stopped short of the anticipated announcement regarding Greater Manchester.

"Discussions with local leaders in other parts of the country – in Greater Manchester, in Lancashire and elsewhere – are continuing, and I don't want to pre-empt those discussions," said Hancock. "Those discussions include what financial support is needed."

Matt Hancock: health secretary stopped short of moving Greater Manchester and Lancashire into Tier 3 in his update to the House of Commons on ThursdayCredit: Peter Nicholls

Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell, who is also the shadow minister for business and consumers, questioned the government's claim to be working constructively with local politicians ahead of any change in Covid alert status for the area.

Powell told Hancock: "I have just come off the call with Greater Manchester colleagues and your colleague about the widely speculated move of Greater Manchester into Tier 3. There was unanimous fury on that call about the process, about the evidence base and about the economic support packages on the table.

"It is not good enough that meaningful conversations only began this morning."

Neighbouring Lancashire looks likely to remain in Tier 2 at least for now – a situation which severely limits household gatherings but which stops short of the widespread closure of businesses in the entertainment and hospitality sector – following widespread reports of a revolt by Conservative MPs during last-minute discussions with Number 10.

While the government's scientific advisory group Sage describes "non-essential retail" as having a relatively low impact on the spread of coronavirus, the gambling sector is hit hard by the Tier 3 restrictions imposed under the government's new measures with casinos as well as betting shops forced to close.

In addition to the loss of levy turnover caused by closures, the measures will put additional strain on racing's fraying finances should there be a loss of media rights payments for television pictures beamed into shops.

Read more here

Racing exempt from 'circuit breaker' restrictions under Labour proposals

Major funding boost for Irish racing - but Kavanagh sounds note of caution

Members can click here to download the digital newspaper every evening from 9pm. Not a member? Click here to sign up and enjoy the digital newspaper every day.