Boxing Day sales - places you can still shop in Tier 4 as 6m Brits enter new lockdown

Six million more people have been placed under tighter coronavirus restrictions on what is traditionally one of the busiest days of the year for the high street.

Sussex, Oxfordshire, further parts of Essex and more will enter new regional lockdowns, while Bristol, Gloucestershire, Isle of Wight will join a list of new places in Tier 3 on Boxing Day.

Under England's toughest Tier 4 restrictions, people are advised to stay at home and non-essential shops, bars and restaurants must close.

But with the Boxing Day sales kicking off today, where can you still shop and are you allowed to visit the high street?

Shopping rules

Non-essential shops, gyms and beauty salons must close and bars and restaurants can only open for takeaways (Getty Images)

Tier 4 restrictions mean all non-essential shops will be shut and hospitality will only be open for takeaway services.

Supermarkets and some hardware stores will be open, but households are being urged to only leave home if absolutely necessary and where possible, alone. You cannot mix with other households, except in a support bubble or in an outdoor public space with one other person.

The official guidance is to "stay home" and to only travel for "essential reasons", so people are being advised to shop the sales online to avoid any unnecessary public contact. If you're worried about delivery charges, many retailers offer click and collect for free - this is still allowed in all tiers.

What shops are allowed to open in Tier 4 areas?

'Essential' retailers such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, off-licences and pet shops can continue to open, however bear in mind that many of these outlets will be closed on Boxing Day.

They are:

• Petrol stations 

• Vets 

• Newsagents 

• Pet shops 

• Supermarkets 

• Pharmacies 

• Takeaways and food deliveries 

• Health shops 

• Medical services ie dentists 

• Hardware stores 

• Garden centres 

• Retail shops in hospitals 

• Bicycle shops 

• Laundrettes and dry cleaners 

• Undertakers 

• Banks, building societies 

• Short-term loan providers, credit unions and ATM machines 

• Storage and distribution centres 

• Post Offices 

• Car rental services and car parks near vital services such as supermarkets 

• Public toilets 

• Food banks and shelters 

• Car garages and repair shops

What stores are not allowed to open?

However non-essential stores must close. These include:

• Non-essential shops, including electronics and clothing stores

• Hairdressers and barbers

• Nail salons

• Spas and beauty bars

• Clothing and electronics stores

• Vehicle showrooms

• Travel agents

• Betting shops

• Auction houses

• Tailors

• Car washes

• Tobacco and vape shops

• Bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks.

• Theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens.

• Body and skin piercing studios, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons.

• Libraries

• Community Centres

• Museums and galleries

• Amusement arcades