'What did people expect?': This is how Leeds has reacted to news of local lockdown measures

Leeds City Council has said Leeds is to be made an “area of intervention”, meaning that similar restrictions on household mixing are to be introduced as is currently the case in the West Yorkshire districts of Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale.

New restrictions will ban household mixing within private homes and gardens - this will be illegal.

People in Leeds are also "strongly advised" not to mix with other households in pubs and restaurants.

The restrictions come after a surge in positive coronavirus cases, with the city's infection rate reaching 98.5 per 100,000 people.

All areas that pay council tax to Leeds City Council will be under lockdown restrictions.

There has been a mixed response to the news amongst the Yorkshire Evening Post's readers.

Alastair Marshall thought the restrictions were inevitable and said: "What did people expect? Given the way the people of Leeds have reacted to measures, if this happens it was inevitable."

Alison Tosney agreed: "Numbers were rising anyway! Eat out to help out, kids in school, numerous other changes - of course it was going to rise with an influx of new students."

Declan Rose added: "Don’t know why anyone’s shocked?"

Other readers criticised the new measures for making it illegal to meet other households in homes and gardens, but not in pubs and restaurants.

Ellen Burdon said: "Not allowed to go to family or friends' houses or go sit in their garden.

"We can go to work and mix with loads of people, and kids can go to school and mix with loads of people - no logic behind it."

Jason Beckwith added: "Can't see my mum and dad in their home but can go to the grotty local and see them and half the town there?"

Paul Dickens agreed: "When you stop people freely mixing in bars and restaurants, then you can tell me who I do and don't have in my home."

Andrew Lawson was concerned about the impact of the lockdown on the city's economy.

He said: "This will kill off many local hospitality businesses."

Other readers were concerned that people in Leeds would not follow the new rules.

Craig Hebberd said: "Student parties will be driven inside rather than in the pubs where conditions can be controlled.

"Everyone can make up their own mind on how to act, but I think the vast majority will continue as normal.

"Ordinary folk aren’t not going to see their families until the middle of next year."

Shauny Brooke said he was prepared to live with the "constant moving of goalposts".

He said: "Stay at home, don't go out. Now you can go out, here's 50% off.

"Wait, stop going out so much. Right only six of you now, right that's it only til 10pm.

"Right final strike, no more household mixing.

"What, it's Christmas? Get yourself out again, enjoy it.

"No, stop it now. Lockdown again.

"Literally, constant moving of goalposts. Gonna have to just learn to live with the fact the virus is about now. Deal with it."

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Laura Collins