Confidence has plummeted among South West business owners following the emergence of Omicron, a new report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has found.
Fears of further Covid restrictions has also contributed to concerns, according to a poll of members carried out by the business group.
In the run-up to Christmas confidence levels fell nearly 30%, compared to the previous report in the autumn, with South West business leaders now the least optimistic in the UK, the FSB said.
