THE extension of the furlough scheme until the end of September has been praised by a pub director. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the furlough scheme will be extended until the end of September in his budget announcement yesterday. Mr Sunak said the scheme would help millions through 'the challenging months ahead'. Phil Simpson, director of Lancaster Brewery, which runs The Mill in Ulverston and The Duke of Edinburgh in Barrow, described the extension of the furlough scheme as a 'safety net'. He said: "As we approach the end of the lockdown period we're all hoping we won't need the furlough system once we get opened fully in June. However, just in case things don't quite pan out as expected, it's great for all our staff to know that there's still a safety net out there for them."