The chief of the Chamber of Commerce representing Blackburn with Darwen has said there will be "alarm" from the area's businesses at the prospect of the area going into total lockdown - and has called on residents to "police each other" to help stop the local spread of Covid-19.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that new measures had been introduced in the borough after a spike in coronavirus cases, including increased limits on visitors and mass testing taking place.
On Wednesday, Miranda Barker, chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, told BusinessLive: "I think businesses will be very alarmed at the prospect of going back into total lockdown. Anything that gets in the way of any green shoots just starting to grow would be really worrying.
"These measures are to try and avoid a lockdown are good - Let's act now."
According to Ms Barker, a lockdown would be detrimental to a location that has seen some success since national restrictions were lifted.
"I think we would see an immediate hit on the town centre, which would be a pity because both Burnley and Blackburn have been among the fastest recovering town centres," she explained.
"That's obviously something that's really important in terms of getting money into the local economy.
"You wouldn't want to see a total shut down. You would just want to see measures coming in place to help businesses keep trading, but also protect people.
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"That this is an early warning is a positive rather than a negative.
"I don't know what measures you can put in place if we're going to go into total lockdown again - that's the worry and the concern. Whatever you can do to avoid going into total lockdown, the better."
New measures brought in this week include instructions that people bump elbows rather than shaking hands, and tighter limits on people visiting from other households.
It's all in a bid to avoid a Leicester-style lockdown, after 61 new cases emerged in the space of a week.
The area's public health director Prof Dominic Harrison said residents in the area should now be wearing face coverings in all enclosed public spaces.
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Ms Barker said she had spoken with some of the area's businesses who said they would make the wearing of coverings compulsory with immediate effect - rather than waiting for the Government-enforced date of July 24.
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She added: "There's a little bit of confusion, obviously. People wondering if they should be wearing masks in the office, what do they do. Everyone's trying to work out a pragmatic way of doing it.
"Looking at areas of increased risk and what they can do to add to this level of protection.
"I think it's alarming but people would rather be given this opportunity to try and act now in some way to minimise any risk of a total Leicester-style lockdown."
Prof Harrison also said on Tuesday that the situation will be reassessed in a fortnight, and that if the rate of infection continues to rise until then, further measures would need to be taken.
Ms Barker said: "Over the last couple of days, we've heard numbers in Blackburn were high, so I'm not surprised it's now coming, but there are lots of other areas where there are elevated levels, so it's really just about when is the right moment to put in measures like this.
"You don't want to go too soon, but you don't want to go too late.
"Everyone's getting a little bit too relaxed in shops, and I've seen riskier behaviour when I've been out. There are all the measures in place in bars and restaurants, but people seem to be getting closer again in shops."
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Ms Barker said that meant residents may need to begin "policing each other", adding: "By and large, businesses have been taking all of this very seriously, if you look at the amount the local shops have done to prepare.
"It's time for the population to take it seriously and to police each other in terms of social distancing in shops because I think that's slightly diminished.
"Certainly in Blackburn with Darwen, I think the wearing of facemasks is highly recommended. Let's make it something that we start to police each other on."
She added: "The chamber is always there for advice. We've been running a helpline service from the get-go for any businesses regardless of membership. We are there to support businesses."