A Gloucester pub owner has expressed his anger and disappointment at the delay to the lifting of lockdown restrictions. He says staff morale is being badly affected and businesses are suffering.

Paul Soden, who owns five pubs in Gloucester, said: "I'm very disappointed with Boris. I thought he had more backbone.

"My staff have done everything to comply with the guidelines - wear masks in the heat, maintain social distancing, test and trace, booking tables...

"It's a huge psychological blow. They have completely conned us. I was expecting some sort of pay back, but there was always something at the back of my mind - I didn't completely trust them. It's a disaster."

Leading figures in the pub sector nationally have added to the chorus of disapproval. Patrick Dardis, chief executive of Young's, said the Government is asking too much of pub workers who are already struggling to ensure customers continue to abide by the rules.

Rob Pitcher, chief executive of Revolution Bars, told The Telegraph rising vaccination rates had made it tougher to persuade young people to comply with the remaining restrictions.

He said: "It is becoming increasingly more difficult to police it. People are behaving themselves but it's about a personal choice.

"If you're young and have your life ahead of you, you're largely not at risk of the virus and therefore people will feel like they've done their bit."

Paul Soden, whose Gloucester pubs include Café Rene and The Old Bell/Tiger's Eye, said: "I like my staff to be happy, we're in the hospitality business not the hostility business - people can't even see them smile.

"I don't understand the logic to the delay. First, they said it was to protect the NHS, clap for the NHS, then vaccination, then another vaccination... Surely, if you are in anyway compromised, don't go out, and let everybody else go out and enjoy themselves.

"This has gone too far; the collateral damage is too much. We are not making money. When you do the number crunching it just doesn't work."

Hospitality businesses are now battling a severe staff shortage as well. The departure of foreign workers and students has exacerbated the situation. Maintaining morale among staff is seen as pivotal to keeping the industry afloat.