Mirror Online. Preston's rate of new Covid-19 cases went up from 20.3 per 100,000 people in the week ending July 27 to 32.8 in the week ending August 3 causing the need for intervention.Under the local lockdown rules, people living in Preston are banned from mixing with people from outside their social bubble in homes, gardens, and indoor venues, such as pubs.Leicester was the first city to suffer a local lockdown when the government said unlike the rest of England it would not be allowed to open pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and other non-essential businesses on July 4.New coronavirus lockdown laws carrying fines of up to £3,200 came into effect in parts of northern England earlier this month.Areas including Manchester, parts of East.