An Italian restaurant due to start serving guests in a Suffolk town next month has had to postpone its opening amid fears over the coronavirus pandemic.

Watson and Walpole, which is taking the place of the closed Lemon Tree Bistro in Church Street in Framlingham, was due to welcome its first diners in April following a major conversion of the building.

But owner Ruth Watson - a TV presenter known for her role on The Hotel Inspector - said she has now been forced to postpone plans to open her new venture in the coming weeks.

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She also said she had “no idea” when Watson and Walpole would begin serving amid government warnings over social gatherings, but said she was looking forward to welcoming customers in the near future.

Prime minister Boris Johnson said in a press conference earlier this week that large gatherings should be avoided over concerns of spreading coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.

Mrs Watson said: “We will not be opening as planned.

“As every business owner wants to know, we have no idea what to do about sustaining our staff financially and how much the government will help.”

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