Restaurants in the county are set to lose thousands of pounds this weekend, due to the snow and ice.

With chains from Jamie's Italian to Prezzo to Chimichanga  to TGI Friday's  already under threat, the current bad weather couldn't have come at a worse time.

Both big name restaurants and small independents rely heavily on cash flow to stay afloat. But the snow and ice mean people are choosing to stay at home in the warm and not risking getting behind the wheel of a car. In the meantime, the businesses still have bills and staff to pay, so just a few days without customers can be all it takes to make a restaurant go under.

Hotels and venues will be feeling the pinch too as weddings and events are cancelled or delayed.

The only potential winners here are local chip shops and takeaways, who are in a perfect position to cash in when customers can't make it to the town centre.

Punchline says: "Thanks to the Beast from the East, there will be restaurants in the county on the brink of collapse. So if you've got a favourite restaurant, when the weather improves, get out there, enjoy a nice meal and support their business, before it's too late."