Aberdeen's local lockdown extended for at least another week

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Hospitality venues in Aberdeen, Scotland, will have to remain closed for at least another week, after Nicola Sturgeon announced an extension to the city's local Coronavirus lockdown.

During First Minister's Questions earlier today (12 August), Sturgeon confirmed that restaurants, bars and pubs will be required to stay closed, and people will not be able to visit other people's homes until the situation is reviewed next week.

To date there have been 177 confirmed cases of Covid-19 linked to the outbreak in the city.

Sturgeon said: "I know people in Aberdeen, who of course are today dealing with severe weather as well as Coronavirus, will be disappointed with this decision, but I want to thank them for complying so well with the measures that we put in place last week.

"I want to stress that nobody wants these restrictions to be in place for longer than is necessary.

"They will be reviewed in one week's time and as soon as we can relax any of them, then we will do."

The order for all pubs and restaurants in Aberdeen to close came last Wednesday (5 August), following what Sturgeon described as a 'significant outbreak'.

Many of the cases had been linked to the Hawthorn bar in Aberdeen, althoug more than 20 other pubs and restaurants are involved in the cluster.

Business affected have been allowed to re-furlough staff, with Sturgeon saying last week that the Scottish Government would look at what other financial support can be offered to firms.