Four weeks of national lockdown are set to end at a minute past midnight.

We will start to see our "non-essential" shops, which have remained closed for much of November, reopening again.

Pubs and restaurants will return with a later closing time of 11pm. Employees were out at the front of theirs in the sunshine today, giving it a fresh lick of paint or adding a few festive decorations before the grand reopening.

Richmond is moving to new Tier 2 restrictions, with strict rules on socialising indoors.

Residents must not gather with anyone outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting.

This means no going to the pub with friends from another household - something Young's has opposed - unless you will be sitting in a beer garden or outdoor dining area.

Libaries and council-run sports facilities will reopen.

Restrictions will be lifted for a five day period around Christmas so that families can get together with their loved ones.

Here is guidance from Healthwatch Richmond upon Thames on forming a Christmas bubble between December 23 and 27.

In a sign that the national lockdown has worked, the leader of Richmond Council shared the "good news" that there has been a drop in coronavirus infections locally.

Cllr Gareth Roberts wrote: "Covid-19 cases are now 83 per 100,000 over the last 7 days. And that's significantly below the London average of 141.9/100,000.

"As we're about to move out of lockdown into Tier 2 it's essential we don't slip back into higher numbers."

Richmond Park MP Sarah Olney said: "As we emerge from the national lockdown into Tier 2 restrictions tomorrow, please remember that while the transmission rate has fallen considerably we still have a lot of cases in the area.

"I am glad to see pubs, restaurants and shops reopening across London, for the sake of all the retail and hospitality businesses in my constituency, but we must be vigilant about hygiene, social distancing and mask-wearing if we are to prevent another rise in the r value and further restrictions. Please help keep these businesses open by using them responsibly and keeping Hands, Face, Space in mind at all times when you are out."

Richmond Nub News is running a virtual Christmas market which starts tomorrow (Wednesday, December 2) to give traders a boost.

If you'd like to take part, simply email the name of your business, a short description of what you're offering this festive season, a photo and link to your website to [email protected] and we'll add you to the listings.

Please like and follow our online newspaper on your favourite social media channel. You can find us @RichmondNubNews on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.