'˜BEDLAM' IN BLYTH: 14-week road closure spells trouble for business

Sally Richardson, who runs Northern Garden Supplies, says the closure of the A634 for improvement works in the area has left the garden centre “cut off” from shoppers.

A diversion has been put in place through the nearby village of Oldcotes, but Sally is concerned people will be hesitant to make a longer journey in order to visit the garden centre.

She also claims she wasn’t properly consulted about the closure and didn’t know about it until about a week before its launch- and that workers have told her the closure could in fact be in place for 16 weeks.

She said: “At a push, I could have coped with the road being closed for a couple of weeks or even a month, with proper notice.

“But the company carrying out the closure have not been very helpful. My business has effectively been shut down for three months.

“I pay £1,000 in business rates, so I would have expected better than this.

“The road closure will also cause bedlam in Blyth due to traffic constantly turning round.

“This will damage by business, without a doubt.”

Neil Hodgson, head of consultancy at Via, who manage highways on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council said:“The road closure on the A634 in Blyth is in place to allow us to make improvements.

“These improvements include resurfacing and installation of new vehicle restraint barriers.

“Letters were sent to all those affected along the route in mid-December, along with advance notice signs along the road itself.

Mr Hodgson added that Via have since engaged with businesses concerned about the impact of the closure.

He said that additional signage is also now in in place in the area, advising the public that businesses are open as usual.