He said: “This is a real kick in the teeth for our businesses that have recently reopened.

“But the problem is our rates have been flatlining at quite a high level, around 150/160 per 100,000 residents, and are starting to increase.

“We are still expecting to see a third wave as a result of Christmas mixing, and with what we’ve seen happen with London for example.

“This is in effect a third national lockdown which I think was always going to happen. We pulled out of the first national lockdown too early in the summer and the lockdown after that, and if we pull out of this too soon again it will just mean another lockdown.

“The government handling of this really has left a lot to be desired, it’s coming up to a year that we’ve been under some restrictions and we’re basically back at where we were in April under full lockdown.

“The only silver lining is that we now have the vaccine which will hopefully mean things may get back to normal by summer.”