Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce details of new guidelines for Coronavirus and how they will be implemented when the current period of lockdown ends on Wednesday, 2 December.

So what does this mean for Biddulph?

When the latest national lockdown was imposed, the town has just been moved into Tier Two along with the rest of Staffordshire, joining neighbouring Stoke-on-Trent in the 'High' tier of restrictions.

It meant that Biddulph residents could no longer meet socially with other households indoors, as they could have done previously when the town was in Tier One.

However, as lockdown ends it is expected that the Government will be re-grading areas and there will be changes in the levels of restrictions imposed in each tier.

The Prime Minister will brief the nation this afternoon (Monday, 23 November), although it may not be until Thursday that Biddulph knows which tier it will be in as further evaluations are undertaken.

It is not yet known if further restrictions will be imposed in Staffordshire, although Biddulph Nub News reported recently how the leader of Staffordshire County Council warned that restrictions could be extended if cases remained high.

What is anticipated as lockdown ends?

• Gyms and non-essential shops will to be allowed to reopen when England's lockdown ends.

• While parts of the tier system may be tougher, the 10pm closing time for pubs and restaurants will be relaxed. Last orders will remain at 10pm, but customers won't have to leave until 11pm.

• The ban on outdoor grassroots sport is also set to be lifted.

• Mr Johnson is also expected to announce that mass testing will be introduced in all tier three areas. Rapid testing with military support, as used in Liverpool, will form part of the stricter system.

• Testing will also be rolled out for care home visitors across England from next month - with every care home resident able to have two visitors tested twice a week. It means people who live in care homes will be able to hug relatives by the end of the year, the government has said.

• More areas are set to be placed in the higher tiers - High or Very High - after lockdown, No 10 has said.

• The PM had hoped to announce arrangements for the Christmas period today, but this has been delayed until at least Tuesday to allow the Scottish and Welsh cabinets to agree the plans. It comes after the government said the UK's four nations had backed plans to allow some household mixing "for a small number of days" over Christmas.

• It has been reported that one option that was discussed in meetings this weekend was that three households could be allowed to meet up for up to five days.

Biddulph Nub News will keep you updated and informed as the situation develops.