Dorset Chamber chief executive Ian Girling said: “This is a bombshell announcement by the Prime Minister.
“The new restrictions will be a bitter blow for many businesses and families in Dorset just days after the Prime Minister pledged to keep Christmas bubbles intact.
“Even though our tier rating remains unchanged the additional restrictions will undoubtedly have an impact locally and be a great disappointment for many people.
“While the business community will understand the need to react quickly to fast-moving events, this last-minute decision and the government’s stop-start approach is unhelpful and does not breed confidence.
“The next review of tiers is on December 30 and for the new year we need a clear exit strategy along with a commitment to commensurate support for business affected by the economic consequences of further restrictions.
“Equally, it cannot be underestimated how important it is that we all play our part in keeping the virus at bay so we can move out of tier two as soon as possible.
“Clearly the new strain is a grave threat and to see this become rampant in Dorset and the county slip into a higher tier rating would be incredibly damaging.
“This means people taking personal responsibility and sticking to the rules while doing all they can to support each other and local businesses.
“Support for all businesses remains available through the Dorset Gateway and we will continue to work with the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and ours partners in Dorset to provide the greatest help possible.”