A number of Dudley Council services and venues will close from today as tighter coronavirus restrictions are brought in across the country.

Last week, the Prime Minister announced a month-long period of restrictions that would require people to stay at home, restrict gatherings and force the closure of certain venues and businesses.

The restrictions will be in place until Wednesday December 2.

As a result, the following venues will be closed from tomorrow: Dudley, Halesowen and Crystal leisure centres, the Dell Stadium, Dudley Museum at the Archives, the Red House Glass Cone and Sycamore Adventure.

The dementia gateways, Queens Cross Network, Assisted Living Centre, Dudley Carers Dudley Carers Hub and the Unicorn Centre will also be closed. People can contact the carers advice line on 01384 818723 or email dudleycarershub@dudley.gov.uk.

Himley Hall will be closed but people will still be able to access the grounds.

Weddings in the borough will not be able to go ahead but the council’s registration service will remain open and can be contacted online and by telephone.

In the meantime, park and open spaces will remain open for people to enjoy their daily exercise while adhering to the latest guidelines, cemeteries will be open, funerals with up to 30 people at burials and 16 people in the chapel at Gornal Crematorium will still go ahead, adult and community learning classes will still be available and bin collections will run as usual.

The council’s civic amenity site will remain open but appointments must be booked in advance, family centres across the borough will offer a limited walk in service and Dudley Council Plus will be open but at reduced times and some services will be unavailable.

GLL, the organisation which runs the borough’s libraries and archives service has confirmed libraries will offer a click and collect service and limited access to computers and the archives services will offer a telephone research service. Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

“In the last eight months Dudley residents have shown resolve in the face of the virus and helped keep the number of cases lower here compared to other parts of the Black Country and wider West Midlands region. But we’ve reached that point again when we all need to dig deep and pull together for the greater good.

“The restrictions to our daily lives and the closure of services and venues will come as a blow to many, but they are necessary if we stand any chance of bringing the number of cases down and reducing pressures on our NHS services.

“People can still enjoy the borough’s parks and open spaces, but I urge them to do so safely, following the latest restrictions and remembering social distancing guidelines at all times.”

For further details about services affected by the latest restrictions and for advice and support go to dudley.gov.uk/coronavirus.