ST Ann's Well could be a further casualty of the rapid spread of foot and mouth across the district.

With the Malvern Hills designated as a no-go area for the first time in history, businesses that rely on tourism are suffering.

John Redman, owner of St Ann's Well, a vegetarian caf, said if the hills were still closed by Easter he would be forced to close.

"I'm looking for another job because I'm going to be out of business in four or five weeks," he said.

"We've been helped a lot by the Conservators who have allowed us to stay open by keeping the corridor up to the caf open, but if no tourists are coming to the town we're not getting their business.

"At the moment we're down to 25 per cent of our normal trade and on Saturday I made enough to pay just one member of staff.

"I object to being penalised for something that has nothing to do with me. Eventually people will start saying why should we go out of business to support the farmers," said Mr Redman.

He said it was particularly ironic that he had been affected by the outbreak because the caf is vegetarian.

"Another irony is that if foot and mouth had started here we'd be compensated but as it is we're not insured," he added.