A business leader has called on the government to support businesses through this festive period following the latest Covid rules.

In a Downing Street press conference last night Boris Johnson revealed new plans to help tackle the spread of the Omicron variant.

Work-from-home guidance will return, Covid health certificates are to become mandatory in large venues and mask rules will be extended.

Jo James, chief executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, which represents firms across the county said: "Yet again, firms are now being asked to make changes at the very last minute.

“Many businesses have only just begun to get back on their feet and this move will inevitably damage business confidence. Critically, firms need to know that the government will support them through this next period.

“The government must once again stand shoulder to shoulder with business and provide a package of support to ensure that we get through a challenging winter without serious damage to our economic recovery."

She added: “A return to advice that staff should work from home ‘where they can’ will come at a huge cost to swathes of businesses.

“While many firms now have well established remote or hybrid working practices, which will provide some resilience, there will be many more that will be badly affected by reduced footfall in our towns and city centres.

“This will impact on business revenues at a time when many needed to have a prosperous festive season. We need to have grant support in place for all firms affected and their supply chains.”

Neil Lomas, group general manager of Leaf Hotels, which runs the Clifton Hotel in Folkestone, said they have started seeing some cancellations following the announcement.

He said: "We were seeing a small number of cancellations prior to the government announcement, however, we are now getting many more cancellations for both party night bookings and bedroom reservations.

"There is still a lot of confusion amongst the general public about where and when they need to wear face coverings within hospitality venues and we do note that the majority do not wear them. "All my team wear face masks whilst on duty as well as taking lateral flow tests twice weekly and having temperatures recorded each day before they start their shifts.

"I have no doubt we will see plenty more cancellations, which is a shame as we were looking to have an amazing festive season."

Mr Mdakanda, owner of MV nightclub, Gravesend, said: "We saw the news that came out and we are now preparing. These restrictions are a little bit different.

"People will need to wear a mask from the front entrance into the club area. Staff will be reminding them all the time.

"When people are drinking sometimes they forget but for example if they are ordering a drink the bartender will remind them to wear a mask."

Peter Marks, REKOM UK chairman, who runs ATIK in Dartford said: “We are disappointed, but sadly not surprised by the government’s decision to make vaccine passports compulsory for nightclubs and other late night venues.

"There is no evidence anywhere in the world that nightclubs have caused an increase in Covid cases. In fact, since July 19 when we were allowed to re-open in England, there has been an 80% reduction in cases in the 20-29 cohort according to recent ONS statistics.

“If the government sees the need for compulsory vaccine passports, then it should do so across the board. It is not only unjust to single out the late night sector but it will have no impact on transmission rates. There is no difference being in a busy shop, shopping centre, restaurant, pub or bar, which all attract far greater numbers of people week in week out compared to the numbers of people that go clubbing.

“The late night economy, particularly nightclubs, has received only one third of the support of the nearest other hospitality industry by type and a tenth of those deemed cultural venues. Many operators have already gone bust and, with these latest measures, many thousands of jobs are at risk across the sector.”

He added last time most people did comply with the new measures and thinks that they will again.

The club will be encouraging people to wear masks and will be checking covid passes before visitors enter.

'I would have liked to seen a bit more science before this step was taken...'

Tudor Price, deputy chief executive of Kent and Invicta chamber of commerce said: "I'm disappointed and have slight questions of doubt and cynicism about whether this was to try and distract from the party news and other things going on.

"I think we're all disappointed, none of us really felt this was going to be a reality when it was talked about at the beginning of November.

"So, disappointed that they've decided to bring it in. Also a bit frustrated that this is a pre-emptive step based on some very early stage data around the potential transmission without any real understanding of the strain, which we are on the 15th variant now.

"I would have liked to seen a bit more science before this step was taken, because the impact to all of this is the uncertainty it creates.

"To some degree there was a rise in confidence amongst the business community here in Kent as we were starting to see things come back to normal - people back into offices, lunch time economy had the chance to make back some of the losses they made.

"Now, you're not sure what's going to happen. We've heard today from members who have have orders cancelled from their suppliers. Because those consumer facing organisations aren't taking the risk of being overstocked or getting too much debt.

"All of that will create a real problem in the community, with lack of investment, lack of growth and general stagnation."

Last night, the Prime Minister warned it was clear the new strain is “growing much faster” than Delta, and cases of Omicron could be doubling every two or three days as he strengthened England’s rules.

Mr Johnson said Christmas parties and nativities could go ahead, but urged people to “exercise due caution” and get their booster jabs as he came under pressure over allegations of a rule-breaching festive bash in No 10 last year.

Mandatory mask wearing will be extended to indoor public venues including cinemas, theatres and places of worship from Friday but will not be required in pubs and restaurants.

The guidance to work from home where possible will return on Monday.

The NHS Covid pass, which can be obtained by having two vaccines or a negative lateral flow test, will be introduced for entry into nightclubs and other large venues from December 15, as Mr Johnson set out the “proportionate and responsible” measures.

But he was forced to insist the public understands the “vital importance” of the measures as he faced questions at the hastily-arranged Downing Street press conference over how they can accept his rules amid anger over allegations staff broke Covid rules in a party on December 18 last year.

Mr Johnson added: “The best way to ensure we all have a Christmas as close to normal as possible is to get on with Plan B, irritating though it may be it is not a lockdown.

“We don’t want nativity plays to be cancelled, we think it’s okay currently on what we can see to keep going with Christmas parties but obviously everybody should exercise due caution.”

He also stressed: "It's not a lockdown."

The Prime Minister denied suspicions he had brought forward the announcement to divert attention from the row and the leaked video showing No 10 staff laughing about restrictions after the alleged party, which on Wednesday forced the resignation of Government aide Allegra Stratton.

“Just imagine the counterfactual, colleagues say, or people say, we’re somehow making this announcement to coincide with events in politics well actually imagine if this step were to be delayed because of political events of one kind or another, what would people say then?

"You’ve got to act to protect public health when you’ve got the clear evidence,” he said.