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23 October 2020
 There has been a further rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Plymouth.
The seven-day update published on 16 October showed there were 232 new cases in the city, an increase on the previous week’s total of 177. And the number continues to rise.
The cases are spread across our community and are affecting couples, families, schools, care homes and businesses.
This means it is essential that we all make sure we are following the guidance for staying safe, not just most of the time but at all time – washing our hands frequently, wearing face coverings in enclosed spaces and staying two metres apart.
We also need to make sure that we are not socialising in groups of more than six.
To check you are following the latest guidance visit the Government website.
New local test centre opens
If you have any of the symptoms of coronavirus you should self-isolate and get a test straight away.
A new local test centre opened this week at Plymouth Marjon University. The centre is operating in addition to the regional drive-through test centre at the former Seaton Barracks site, near The Range, and the local test centre in the Guildhall. It will appear as an option when you book a test, subject to availability.
 The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Plymouth means we all need to celebrate Halloween differently this year.
Unfortunately, the risks of spreading the virus by sharing sweets and knocking on multiple doors mean trick or treating is out.
And traditional Halloween parties should be avoided, as indoor gatherings in confined spaces pose a big risk – especially if people are screaming! Remember, the Rule of Six applies both indoors and outdoors and includes children.
Ruth Harrell, Director of Public Health for Plymouth, said: “We all need to take extra care due to the worrying rise in cases of COVID-19 in Plymouth but Halloween is definitely not cancelled this year.
“There are plenty of ways to make it as fun and frightening as ever, while also keeping safe. We just need to do things a little differently and avoid things that can put family members and others at risk."
See our website for some fun ideas for enjoying a spooky – but safe – Halloween with family and friends.
A city centre pub is the first in Plymouth to have been issued a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for breaching COVID-19 restrictions.
The pub has been served the notice today, for serving drinks after 10am on 10 October and the premises licence holder will have 28 days to pay the fine of £1,000.
The FPN has been issued under The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020, which specifically refer to restrictions on opening hours of businesses.
As a licensed premises the pub must, by law, be closed by 10pm but when police officers visited at 10.45pm, there were people sitting at tables with freshly topped-up pints.
Both the police and Council licensing teams had visited the pub on a number of occasions to advise them of the new laws.
 Moor please! This is how the new play area in front of the House of Fraser and Debenhams buildings is going to look.
The spot for children and parents to play and relax will sit on one of the ‘islands’ that will be appearing as part of a major project to transform the upper end of the city centre.
It’s been designed to reflect the natural environment in and around Plymouth, but with the fun factor in mind. Boulders formed on Bodmin Moor will be piled up for children to clamber over, with two slides a rubber crumb surface to help with safer landings.
There will be a curved seat at the boundary for parents to enjoy watching little ones at play and a small performance space is also planned.
The transformation, which will also include new trees and planting, is a collaboration between British Land (who own Drake Circus and the block that houses House of Fraser and Debenhams) and the Council.
 Plymouth’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations will look a little different this year.
To help keep people safe, especially the elderly and vulnerable, there won’t be a public Remembrance Service on the Hoe, where thousands would normally gather.
Instead, a service at HMS Drake (attended by the Lord Mayor) will be streamed online on Sunday 8 November and shared through our social media channels, for people to watch safely from home.
The Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor will also privately lay wreaths at the Royal Naval Memorial and the Civilian Memorial.
This year, people across the country are being encouraged to pay their respects from home and take part in the two-minute silence at 11am safely from their doorsteps.
If you choose to visit the memorials on the Hoe please stay safe and follow social distancing guidelines.
 If you’re trying to think of some socially distanced, safe and fun things to do with the family this half term, look no further!
There are loads of great activities and attractions to choose from, including two spooky trails around the city centre and Barbican, with a chance to win a £100 voucher for Footloose and Fancy Dress or a family ticket to the National Marine Aquarium.
If exploring is your thing, try out our Plymouth Trails app and tell us about your experience for ‘Plymouth Trailtober’. All sorts of prizes are grabs, from a tour of Drake’s Island or the Gin Distillery to paddle-board lessons and a Haunted Plymouth ghost walk.
On Halloween itself (Saturday 31 October), why not creep inside The Box, where you can investigate some of the gruesome objects in its ground floor galleries by torchlight? Tickets for 'Fright Night' cost £5, or £10 with a tasty drink and sweet treat.
More info about these and lots of other indoor and outdoor things to do can be found in our handy half-term round-up.
If a child in your home is due to start Year 7 at secondary school or Year 10 at a Key Stage 4 school in September 2021, you only have eight days left to express a preference of which four schools you would like them to attend.
If you miss the Saturday 31 October deadline there is a risk that all the places at your preferred schools will be filled by applicants who applied on time.
To maximise the chances of being allocated a place at one of your preferred schools, you need to list four schools in your application.
The easiest way to apply is on our website, where you will find full details on how to apply and how the admissions system works.
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Useful links
Book a test for COVID-19
NHS coronavirus (COVID-19) website
Plymouth City Council's COVID-19 website
Check your bin day
Plymouth news
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