TRADERS in Leek town centre are losing money because of ‘severely disruptive’ roadworks.
Essential gas maintenance in Derby Street has meant that many shopkeepers have struggled to get on with their day-to-day business.
In Getliffe’s Yard, some businesses were without gas for two days last week and — unlike retailers in Derby Street — received no word of warning.
Julie Lovatt, who owns Coffee Clique, in Getliffe’s Yard, said: “They’ve not told anyone in Getliffe’s Yard. People in Derby Street had packs which gave them details on — times, contacts and phone numbers etc.
“One man came in and asked if I had gas. It’s a good job I haven’t because it would have been too late otherwise.
Getliffe’s Yard seems to have been forgotten about by the looks of things.” Ruth Higgins, a hairdresser at The Works, in Getliffe’s Yard, said: “We really need hot water to cut people’s hair and, at the moment, we haven’t got any.”
The work was due to start before Christmas, but it was put back because traders feared there would be an impact during the busy festive period.
Shopkeepers in Derby Street have been facing their own problems with the ongoing work to replace 500 metres of metal piping.
Janet Plinley, deputy manager at charity shop Mind, said that stock was ‘deteriorating’ because people were unable to pull up outside while the work goes on and a disabled volunteer has had problems getting in to work.
She said: “Drivers get stuck at one end and it is difficult for people to park. It should be one way, there is nowhere for vehicles to pass each other. I think they have taken on too much of the street on at once.”
Scope manager Ann Lee shared Ms Plinley’s concerns, saying people not parking outside was making a ‘real difference’ to stock.
Claire Moult, manager of Superdrug, said: “People don’t want to come out if there is nowhere to park.”
Ian Vaughn, business owner of Chapter 1, said his delivery men had trouble getting stock to the store and he had seen impatient drivers mounting the pavement to get past the roadworks.
He said: “They were going to start one end and they seem to have just ignored that and done it the other way round.” Leek councillor Steve Povey and a National Grid spokesman said the maintenance workers had been forced to start ‘the other way round’ because of the weather.
Councillor Povey said: “I am sorry to hear that people in Getliffe’s Yard have been affected. As a trader myself I know what it’s like, but it is work that has to be done.”
A National Grid spokesman was unable to say why traders in Getliffe’s Yard did not receive the same information as those in Derby Street, The spokesman said: “We would notify people as information is sent out on postcode basis, so everyone in that area should have received the same thing.”
Gas work is scheduled to carry on throughout Leek until mid March.