THE second lockdown coming into force this week is 'devastating news for Somerset businesses', according to one expert representing companies across the county.

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a month-long national lockdown for England as coronavirus cases and deaths rise in the country.

In a press conference from Number 10, Boris Johnson said “no responsible Prime Minister can ignore” the rising rates of Covid-19 infections.

Now, Somerset Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stephen Henagulph has reacted to the news.

He said: "From the retail side it’s devastating news for Somerset businesses – this time of year is what they term as the golden quarter running-up to Christmas when retailers on the High Street will be expecting to get high footfall but we’re just not going to see that and that’s going to have a massive impact on our local economy and for local firms.

“The real frustration is that retailers and other businesses have put in a great deal of work to make their premises Covid-secure with safe-distancing measures and the rug has been pulled out from underneath them and they’re back to square one."

MPs will vote on the new measures before they are introduced at 00.01am on Thursday, and when they lapse on December 2, the current tier system will be reintroduced.

The hope is that Covid-19 cases will drop low enough to keep on top of outbreaks at a regional level.

Apologising to businesses, Boris Johnson has said the Government will extend furlough payments at 80 per cent for the duration of the new national lockdown measures in England.

The Prime Minister added: “I’m under no illusions about how difficult this will be for businesses which have already had to endure such hardship this year and I’m truly, truly sorry for that – and that’s why we’re going to extend the furlough system through November.

“The furlough system was a success in the spring, it supported people in businesses in a critical time. We will not end it, we will extend furlough until December.”

He said the measures would be time-limited from November 5 to December 2, when restrictions would be eased and regions would go back into the tiered system.

Mr Henagulph added: “Furlough is not a long-term fix and we must remember that the extension of the furlough scheme is only a sticking plaster, it’s not a substitute for a thriving business economy.

"It’s incredibly important we have support for our workers, but the furlough scheme is only supporting workers, businesses still have to pay their utility bills, rent and rates, all against the backdrop of a devastating loss of income.

“We need to get Test and Trace working properly and efficiently so businesses can get results quickly.

"Somerset businesses are great at being adaptable and have done everything they have been told to do within the Government guidelines but now they’re right back where they started again.”