Adding calories to menus is a "frightening" pressure which food venues don't need right now, says a Gloucestershire business leader.

From today restaurants, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 staff must print how many calories are in meals on their menus, websites, and delivery platforms.

The new rule is part of government plans aimed at tackling obesity by helping people make healthier choices.

The move has been criticised by some industry leaders.

Wahaca boss Mark Selby told the BBC the focus on counting calories was a problem. While Masterchef winner Sven-Hanson Britt tweeted the change was a "terrible" and could lead to "boring tick-box cooking".

Kate Nicholls, boss of the industry group UK Hospitality, said the new rules came at the "worst possible time for thousands of businesses struggling to survive".

Gloucestershire business leader Steve Gardner-Collins, director at Visit Gloucester, agreed.

He said: "This is a costly exercise to go through when we are still on the cusp of trying to encourage customers out.

"I think it will put people off going out because people are already having to consider whether a meal out is a luxury. Now they will be faced with the calories in each dish and it might make them change their minds about going out.

"I don't know what the solution is, only that we are having all this thrown at us at the same time and I worry whether businesses will survive. Is this something we needed right now?

"They want the high street to recover and for people to spend money but they are just adding more discouraging layers into the mix."

Mr Gardner-Collins is also sales director at The Hatton Collection which has hotels across Gloucestershire. He said businesses were already under immense pressure due to rising costs and this was an added worry.

He said: "It's coming at us from all sides at the moment. While I agree it's important society is more aware of their calorie intake, it's not helping businesses.

"This is another layer on top of us already transitioning to allergens on menus. There is a shortage of paper looming and increased paper costs and reprinting menus is expensive and not helping the climate argument."

The Department of Health and Social Care said people were used to seeing nutritional information on products sold in supermarkets. It said its policy has been informed by research and it had consulted "extensively" with mental health charities and experts.