London to go into strictest restrictions as new variant of COVID-19 identified

London will move into the strictest tier of England’s regional lockdown system on Wednesday after coronavirus rates in the capital soared to among the highest in the nation.

All pubs and restaurants will shut unless they offer takeaway services when Greater London moves into Tier 3, or Very High Alert, but shops, schools and gyms will remain open.

Parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will also move into the top tier and join large areas of England’s north that went…