The Carlisle co-founder of a nationwide campaign for the mandatory wearing of face masks in public has welcomed the Government's decision to force shoppers to cover their faces.

From next Friday, anyone in England entering a shop without a face covering could be fined up to £100 after new rules were officially announced by Government ministers this week.

Dr Helen Davison, Green Party Carlisle City Councillor, one of the founders of the Masks 4 All UK campaign and a persistent advocate of the importance of face masks in controlling the spread of Covid-19, has said the Government's decision is a "huge relief".

While it is welcome, Dr Davison feels the decision from the Government has come far too late.

"I am hugely relieved that the Government has finally recognised the importance of people wearing masks in public spaces to protect each other, and reduce the risk of transmission of the virus," she said.

"Bit it is so sad that it has taken so long for it to happen, because lives will have been lost as a result of it not happening."

The Government has advised the use of face masks in shops since May, but until now has stopped short of making it mandatory - though their use was made mandatory on public transport last month.

Dr Davison described the Government's attitude towards the issue of masks in public as "mixed messaging".

"As much as I'm massively relieved, there has been a huge frustration about the mixed messaging that has come out about masks, and the confusion over it, and the lack of clear messaging to the public," she said.

"It's very hard to have witnessed how lives have been unnecessarily lost."

The rules now introduced by the Government should go further still, Dr Davison said.

"I would like to see the requirement in offices as well, where people are working in enclosed spaces for extended periods for time, or any other spaces where people are in contact with each other for a long time."

While customers in pubs and restaurants cannot be expect to wear masks while eating or drinking, Dr Davison would like to see a requirement that all staff in such venues are required to wear face coverings to better guarantee their protection.

"I would like to see all the staff who work in pubs and restaurants wearing masks or face shields, being properly protected in the environment they're having to work in," she said.

One of Carlisle's many shops in which the wearing of masks will soon be compulsory is the independent city centre store Food Glorious Food, on Crosby Street, run by husband and wife team Adam and Dawn Thompson-Howard.

Mr Thompson-Howard said he welcomed any measure that kept people safe and encouraged people to come to the city centre to shop.

But said he was not entirely sure the new rule would improve customer confidence across the city.

"We want to run the safest environment possible, for both our customers and ourselves," Mr Thompson said.

"We appreciate that masks are another level of protection, which is great.

"It's good for the customers if it makes them feel safer coming out to shop, which is important to help the economy and local businesses find their feet again.

"But I think some people could be put off by the thought of having to go out with a mask - it will give them extra worry.

"It's hard to know though, at the moment. I think it could go either way."

Mr Thompson-Howard explained how it was hard to predict whether or not compulsory wearing of masks would lead to an immediate increase in consumer confidence, and pointed to the fact that some of the customers at Food Glorious Food have been visiting while wearing a mask for a while.

However, others are reluctant to visit the city centre whether they wear a mask or not.

"We know our customers well, and some of them have been wearing masks since the beginning.

"One chap comes in quite regularly, but we haven't seen his wife since the start of the pandemic because she doesn't really want to go out."

"She's said that she doesn't want to go out even when wearing a mask.

"Having said that - I'm not sure exactly for how many, but for some it certainly will provide some extra confidence."

Mr Thompson-Howard said he and his wife had worked hard to ensure their shop was as safe as possible for customers.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, we've had measures in place limiting customers into the shop, to one household at a time.

"We've got a screen put up around the till. We've got markers on the floor so that everyone knows to keep their distance."

Given all the hard work and worry the couple have invested in their reopening, Mr Thompson-Howard said it was difficult to see people in Carlisle failing to socially distance.

"We feel like we're doing all the right things. It is frustrating when you see people going out at the weekend, not being socially distanced, and nothing is really said.

"It's frustrating, but when you see that sort of thing going on you can see why an extra level of protection is important."

Food Glorious Food is continuing its home delivery option for customers, as well as a click and collect service to allow customers the option of avoiding entering the store to browse.