This is what will and will not close across Hartlepool during second COVID lockdown

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that a new lockdown would run from tomorrow, Thursday, November 5, to Wednesday, December 2.

Now council bosses have confirmed a number of the authority’s buildings will be closed. These include:

Mill House Leisure Centre – some provision will continue, however, to provide supervised activity to children and schools as necessary, and to accommodate Learning and Skills services;

Headland Sports Centre;

Brierton Sports Centre;

Summerhill Visitor Centre – the wider open-access Summerhill Country Park will remain open and the cycle clinic will continue to operate;

Grayfields Pavilion and other football pitches and recreation grounds for formal use;

Carlton Adventure;

Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre (with the exception of blood donor activity;

The Borough Hall;

Hartlepool Art Gallery – the current Century exhibition which celebrates 100 years of Hartlepool’s art, culture and history will, however, still be available online at periods during lockdown;

Museum of Hartlepool;

All public-facing areas of Community Hubs will close, although access to the People’s Network at Community Hub South will operate on a pre-booked basis to support benefit claimants and job seekers;

A click and collect library service will be available to residents, using the mobile library to provide collection in local communities. Financial advice and guidance will continue to be delivered by West View Advice and Resource Centre via telephone appointments;

Branch libraries;

All leisure centre memberships will be frozen for the period of closure and direct debit payments will be automatically suspended. Where someone has paid up front for a membership, the period of closure will be added to the end of their contract.

All services will operate a digital and outreach programme to support residents to stay engaged and access services throughout the period of lockdown. Please visit www.gethartlepoolactive.co.uk and www.hartlepoolnow.co.uk and watch social media for more information.

The weekly Hartlepool Outdoor Market which takes place on Thursdays, will be suspended for the duration of the lockdown period.

The following services/venues/facilities will continue to operate/remain open as usual:

· Refuse collections and recycling services (the Household Waste Recycling Centre in Burn Road will continue to operate on a pre-booked visit basis);

· Cemeteries and Hartlepool Crematorium (subject to Government attendance rules);

· Hartlepool Civic Centre reception (including Registrars, Housing Advice and Welfare Services) – 9am-5pm, Monday to Thursday; 9am-4.30pm on Fridays;

· Hartlepool Civic Centre cash office, 10am-2pm Monday-Friday;

· Summerhill Country Park, Rossmere Park, Ward Jackson Park, Burn Valley Family Wood, Clavering Park and Play Area, King Oswy Park and Seaton Park;

· Car parks;

· Allotments;

· Learning and Skills, including adult education, employment services, careers advice and Volunteer Hartlepool;

· Hartlepool Support Hub providing support to those who are identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable.

Hartlepool Borough Council Managing Director Denise McGuckin said: “We would like to thank residents for their continued support in very difficult times, and apologise for any inconvenience closures cause. All venues will re-open as soon as they are able to.

“We all must do whatever we can to stop the spread of the virus, so it is vital that we comply with the restrictions that are in force as well as ensuring that we follow the rules/guidance on washing our hands regularly, wearing face coverings and maintaining a safe distance.”

More information about the new national restrictions can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

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