A WORCESTER cafe owner says he has been preparing as he anticipated a national lockdown would be announced.

News broke last night that the government was considering a month-long lockdown across England that would come into force next week.

Ahead of a press conference from Prime Minister Boris Johnson later Francini Osorio, the owner of Francini Cafe De Colombia, said he could see lockdown was likely after other countries introduced lockdown measures across Europe.

Mr Osoria said: "In the last two weeks we have been preparing that if they lock us down again, we will be ready.

"We can, if they announce the lockdown Monday night, open as a takeaway the following day.

"We have the signs, we would be able to move out the furniture, we would follow the safety rules which we are always strict on - so that we could open.

"Last time before lockdown (in March) I closed us a couple of days before the Prime Minister's announcement and we were closed a month.

"I like to be able to anticipate. I was seeing what was happening in France and Germany and other countries, and I was thinking if it is happening there it is bound to be here.

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"It was going to happen anyway so I wanted to be ready.

"It is not looking good."

Despite the expected announcement from the government, Mr Osoria said their restaurant had been full today (Saturday).

"Today has been busy," he said.

"People were queuing to get in this morning.

"It could be people are out getting together for one last weekend."

The Prime Minister will be joined by England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty and the government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance for the briefing, that follows a cabinet meeting this afternoon.

The press conference is now schedule for 5pm.