‘It’s killing our businesses’

George Nixon, who runs the Premier Priory Store and Fook Weng Hooi, who owns the Worksop Express takeaway, both say they are losing several hundreds of pounds a day.

Mr Nixon said he has tried to get in touch with Notts County Council to discuss the matter but said he has failed to get a satisfactory response.

“I amlosing about £500 a day due to the roadworks and it’s business I can ill afford to lose,” he said.

“We are going through the credit crunch and times are hard - we need as much as business as we can.”

“We get a lot of passing trade with people stopping off to buy groceries, and we are really noticing the difference it is making with the road being closed off.”

“I understand that these road works have to be done for the public’s safety, but I think the council could have gone about it better.”

Mr Hooi agreed and said that the roadworks were having a negative effect on trade.

“We are not angry about the roadworks but we are not happy about the effect they are having on our business,” he said.

“We are losing about £300-£400 a day. There are a lot of Chinese take-aways in Worksop and people are just going elsewhere because they think the road is blocked off.”

Notts County Councillor Kevin Greaves said he was extremely disappointed by the council’s handling of the matter.

“It’s the same old tale - the county council is riding roughshod over businesses,” he said.

“I asked for notices to be put into prominent places to advertise those businesses are open as usual, such as at the end of Eastgate or Kilton Road.”

“But they have put the signs outside the shops themselves. I asked the county council if there was negotiation for compensation for these shop owners to which I was told there was none but access has been given. However, they still should have put the signs up in proper places and do their bit to help support local businesses.”