The Government's new tier announcement for the North West almost split the region down the middle on Thursday - with Warrington, Cheshire, the Liverpool City Region and Cumbria managing to avoid the toughest coronavirus restrictions.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock delivered the statement to the House of Commons, bringing bad news for businesses and communities in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen, which were all placed in Tier 3.
The news has seen a predictably mixed reaction from business leaders and politicians across the region, with those in Liverpool given the biggest cause for optimism. The city region and Warrington were the first to move out of the highest Tier 3 alert level after Liverpool was home to the Government's first mass testing exercise.
Leaders in Liverpool cautiously welcomed the news, while there was disappointment for Manchester, where city leaders are set to ask the Government to move to Tier 2 when the first review takes place in a fortnight's time.
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A full list of areas and their tiers can be found here.
Under Tier 1, the rule of six is in place both indoors and outdoors in all settings, with most businesses allowed to open.
In Tier 2, pubs and bars not serving 'substantial meals' must close, with socialising indoors with other households banned. The rule of six will be in force in outdoor settings.
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Under Tier 3, pubs, bars and restaurants may offer takeaway only, with indoor entertainment and tourist venues told to close.
Here is how business and political leaders across the region reacted to the news:
CBI North West
Damian Waters, director of CBI North West, said for many businesses in the region, going into toughened tiers while waiting for a vaccine "will feel like suspended animation".
He said: “Some parts of the economy, such as retail, can begin to re-open and look towards a recovery. It gives our high streets a chance to rescue some of the vital festive trading period.
“But for other businesses the ongoing restrictions in tiers 2 and 3 will leave their survival hanging by a thread. Hospitality will remain frozen. And supply chains that cross regions in different tiers will be hit even if they don’t face direct restrictions.
“It’s vital that these firms receive the financial support they need to make it through to the Spring. Clarity about ongoing employment support, including the Job Retention Bonus, will help protect as many jobs as possible. Businesses need to know what support will be there through to March and beyond in advance, rather than taking it down to the wire."
Mr Waters said lessons "must be learnt" from previous local lockdowns, adding: "Decisions will need to be clearly communicated each fortnight and taken collaboratively between local, regional and national leaders.
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"Most importantly, evidence must be open and transparent – the cost to jobs is only justifiable if it has a material impact on health.
“Liverpool’s shift to Tier 2 is clear evidence that mass testing can make a real difference on the ground.
“So there is encouraging news on mass rapid testing and vaccines, and it’s vital to protect jobs and businesses with an end in sight.”
Liverpool BID Company
Bill Addy, chief executive of the Liverpool BID Company, said with news of vaccines and improved treatments, there is "light at the end of the tunnel" - but still "a lot of travelling to go".
Reacting to the Tier 2 news, he said: "This is good news for retail, for sports and for our theatres and arts venues who can open in a limited capacity, but while some breathe a sigh of relief, we cannot forget challenges remain for many, many businesses across the city.
"We need the government to address the long term support needed for retail, leisure and hospitality. These need to be in place until 2022, if we want our great cities to survive this unprecedented crisis."
He added: "We don’t ever want to be in a situation in Liverpool where we pit industries and sectors against each other, we’re a mixed use economy and we’re a city that is a sum of its parts.
"Businesses that are unable to open need help to survive so we’ll be spending the next few days talking to them to ascertain what it is they need and how we can help them open their doors once they’re able to in 2021.
"We'd like to extend thanks to Liverpool City Council’s leadership, their Public Health team and all those who have worked so hard in tackling the spread of the virus.”
Liverpool Chamber of Commerce
Paul Cherpeau, chief executive of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said the Tier 2 news was a cause for "great optimism and hope rather than one of celebration".
He said: “The outcome is a huge step in the right direction for us all. It is the result of an incredible amount of work, beginning with the leadership in our city and city region authorities, the commitment of our people and our businesses who have conformed to the regulations and made the sacrifices we have all endured over the past weeks and months.
“Of course it’s not over and we should not be complacent. It is in our collective gift to maximise commitment to social distancing, wearing masks, maintaining good hygiene and getting tested frequently. Such an effort could enable us to progress even further into the lower tiered restrictions and on the path to a greater reopening of our society."
For the city's businesses, the announcement has "huge significance", Mr Cherpeau said.
"So many of our businesses have made significant investments in becoming Covid safe and the lockdown has been a terrible blow to many.
"We might have been the first area to go into Tier 3 but we’re also coming out of it first thanks to our collective efforts which must continue. This gives our retail, leisure and hospitality businesses the opportunity to partially rebuild ahead of the Christmas period and gives the people of Liverpool a little freedom to enjoy their lives safely, doing the things that make our city so celebrated around the world."
Mayors Steve Rotheram and Joe Anderson
Both the city council and city region mayors Joe Anderson and Steve Rotheram responded positively to the announcement.
Mayor Rotheram described it as "welcome news and testament to the sacrifice and reliance of everyone who lives here".
He added: “The balance of evidence shows that although we faced a difficult decision over Tier 3, locally we took the right decisions, at the right time. “
Mayor Anderson said: "While I welcome the fact people can now meet in a group of six outside their home, can go for a meal, visit the cinema, shop, take up sport again and so on - we must remain vigilant and ensure this tentative step back to semi-normality is sustained.
"Not just for Christmas - but throughout 2021 until the vaccines deliver the promising results their trials have revealed.”
The reaction from Manchester however, was far from positive, with the city region being once again placed in Tier 3.
Mayor Andy Burnham
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said he will be asking the Government to move the region into Tier 2 when the first review takes place in two weeks' time.
He said: "Greater Manchester’s infection rate is reducing faster than any other part of the country but we have to accept that it is still significantly higher than the England average.
"That said, if the current rate of improvement continues, we will be asking the Government to move our city-region into Tier 2 in two week’s time."
Calling for more Government support for Tier 3 businesses, he said: "What we believe is completely wrong is the Government’s decision to provide no additional business support to areas in Tier 3 than those in Tiers 1 and 2.
"The new Tier 3 will hit the hospitality sector extremely hard. While there are grants for businesses forced to close, there is no extra support for business which supply them like security, catering and cleaning.
"This will cause real hardship for people whose jobs will be affected and risk the loss of many businesses.
"Ministers need to explain how they believe it is fair for Tier 3 areas to get no more support than those in Tier 2. They also need to explain why places with high numbers of hospitality businesses – like city centres – get the same population-based grant as more suburban and rural areas with fewer businesses affected.
"The effect of these policy decision will be to level down the economies of city-regions across the North. It is unfair and the opposite of what the Government has promised to do. Ministers must review this and provide more financial support to Tier 3 areas."
Nighttime economy adviser Sacha Lord struck a similar tone.
He tweeted: "Tier 3 is yet another hammer blow for hospitality in Greater Manchester.
"Another day of the Governments game of carrot and stick. Our R rate is plummeting thanks to the public. Lets see if they try to point score again, as we head nearer Tier 2. We will keep fighting."
UnitedCity
UnitedCity - a research and campaigning group which is aiming to protect Manchester's economy in the wake of the pandemic - said the news was "devastating but not surprising".
A spokeswoman said it would come as a "massive blow to hospitality, leisure, culture, events and sports businesses" in the region.
She said: "There is a feeling across the city-region that tier three was always inevitable. Data has clearly shown that cases of the virus were starting to fall before the November lockdown, so for restrictions as harsh as the 'new' Tier 3 to be placed upon us does feel somewhat rancorous.
"That is of course not to suggest that we shouldn't be protecting people's health in Greater Manchester as an absolute priority; we understand the need to ensure the safety and wellbeing of GM residents whilst we defeat the virus.
"But what UnitedCity is committed to showing is that we can achieve that whilst not decimating our local economy and jeopardising the livelihoods of millions of people. Hospitality venues, for example, not being able to capitalise on December trade will be cataclysmic; a lot of restaurants, bars and hotels make a huge amount of their trade during November and December.
"These businesses have already spent a lot of money this year investing in making their spaces Covid-secure and trying to accommodate the Government's demands. Now, they won't be able to offset any of that cost by safely reopening. Where does that leave them?"
Northern Powerhouse Partnership
Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said there would be "testing times" ahead for parts of the North, but welcomed Liverpool's positive news.
He said: “The success of Mayor Joe Anderson, his Liverpool City Region fellow local government leaders and the Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham, in controlling the virus has rightly led to them being able to move down the regional tiers system.
“These will be testing times for the large parts of the North now back under Tier 3, including the North East, the Tees Valley, West Yorkshire, Sheffield City Region, Hull and Greater Manchester. This will have a brutal impact on many businesses in particular in the hospitality industry.
“Metro Mayors and council leaders must have a say on whether these draconian measures continue after a few weeks. It is vital proper financial support is given to the worst-affected areas - many of which have been under restrictions since August and are in need of targeted support."
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Cheshire West and Chester will move into Tier 2, news welcomed by the council leader.
Council leader Cllr Louise Gittins said: “I’m pleased that the collective efforts of our residents and businesses mean we will be in Tier 2, rather than the higher level of restrictions in tier 3. But we can’t be complacent. We all need to stay the course, continue to reduce infection, and therefore get down to the lowest tier as soon as possible. The council will also continue to step up to drive down the virus through local contact tracing and an expansion of testing.
“I recognise that there will continue to be a severe impact on many of our local businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector. We will continue to provide local support wherever possible.
“For those people who work in retail, entertainment and personal care, it is good news that they will be able to trade in the run up to Christmas. We encourage all our communities to shop local and support these businesses.
“Let’s keep going to support each other and turn this around.”
Peninsula
Kate Palmer, HR advice and consultancy director at law firm Peninsula, has said: "While the end of the national lockdown will undoubtedly be good news for many businesses, the fact that the vast majority of England’s areas will be in the higher, and stricter, Tiers 2 and 3 will be cause for concern, particularly for operators in the hospitality industry.
"While non-essential retail shops can open in time for Christmas across all tiers, pubs can only open in Tier 2 if they can serve substantial meals, and need to remain closed completely in Tier 3 along with all other restaurants. For a large number of businesses in Tier 3 restrictions, it may feel like the current lockdown restrictions are not to end next week after all.
"There is a ray of hope, however, in the fact that these Tiers will be regularly reviewed and that some areas can work towards getting out of higher restrictions, provided the rate of infection remains low."