THERE is no need for a Leicester-style local lockdown in Brighton, the city council has said.

But Brighton and Hove City Council is monitoring coronavirus case numbers and “early indicators” daily, and has previously called for powers to put restrictions in place if they are needed.

In Leicester, stricter measures were imposed following a rapid rise of Covid-19 cases.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tightened restrictions on parts of the East Midlands city and nearby suburbs on Monday, ordering non-essential shops to close and urging people not to travel in or out of the area.

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Nancy Platts called for local lockdown powers in May, fearing thousands of visitors flocking to the beach could put people’s safety at risk and “undo all the work to prevent Covid-19 spreading which was achieved during lockdown.”

Now, the council said the number of cases in the city is low, and said measures were in place to promote social distancing on the beach.

Councillor Clare Moonan said: “We are monitoring case numbers and other early indicators on a day to day basis.

“There is no indication that action such as that seen in Leicester is required locally.

“The number of new cases in the city is currently low, but it is very important we keep it that way.

“So everyone should stay vigilant and wash their hands regularly, follow physical distancing advice and other rules, self-isolate and get tested if they have symptoms, and follow the advice of NHS Test and Trace if contacted.

“We have no plans to close our beaches. However, we will continue to use beach marshals to control the flow of people onto our beaches and to encourage visitors to move to less busy areas so that social distancing can be observed.”

It is feared that there could be a rise in cases across the country as restrictions ease this weekend.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will urge the public not to overdo it when pubs and restaurants reopen, warning that the health of the economy “is dependent on every single one of us acting responsibly”.

The Prime Minister will lead a Downing Street press conference where he is expected to urge people to act safely or run the risk of the Government “putting on the brakes” and bringing back severe restrictions, as seen in Leicester.