King's Road traders claim roadworks have harmed business
Shopkeepers in central St Leonards claim a scheme designed to attract more trade to the area has had the opposite effect.
Traders in King's Road said their takings had fallen by as much as 60 per cent since contractors carried major pavement widening work in the street from March to the end of June.
During the three-month works businesses complained about loss of trade after the street was closed off.
Jarvis Kudjo, owner of Culture Barbers, said: "Trade has dropped for me since the roadworks were completed at the end of June as people do not come in anymore.
"Last Tuesday (September 22) I only took 12. The week before I made just over 80.
"I have been here for a year-and-a-half and before the roadworks started in March the business was doing really well. Many traders in King's Road are now complaining about the drop in trade."
John Hunnisett, owner of The Fruit Bowl, believed all shopkeepers in King's Road had been adversely affected in recent months.
He said: "Business has never got as good as it was before the roadworks started.
"We have lost around 15 per cent of trade as compared to before March.
"When King's Road was closed people just went elsewhere and then got comfortable shopping at alternative places.
"Personally I do not think the works have improved the area at all. They have done us no favours at all in terms of parking.
"Beforehand people could park on both sides of the road. Now they can only park on one side and there are limited spaces."
Mr Hunnisett has been in the King's Road shop for two years but the business has been in the area since 1909.
Julian Pomphrey, owner of Yella newsagents, believes his takings have dropped by at least 60 per cent since March.
He said: "People cannot park easily here now as there is only partial parking on one side of the road."
Andy Wilder, who owns Alpha Taxis by St Leonards Warrior Square train station, said King's Road had become 'a lot quieter' since the roadworks were completed.
He said: "The works should have been put off until after the recession. Businesses are struggling like mad here."
Suzie Rann, who owns Best Wishes card shop in King's Road, said she suspected the decline in trade in the street was a result of shoppers going elsewhere.
She said: "People have left and gone elsewhere because of the works so it is taking a while to pick up again as they realise King's Road is open again. But many have found alternative places to shop."
Soloman Ezobi, who owns Bits 'n' Bits, which specialises in wooden oriental furniture, said traders had several meetings with transport bosses prior to the roads starting at the end of March, expressing their concerns that their businesses would be adversely affected.
He said: "We said at the time that the work should be put off due to the ongoing recession but during a final meeting with them (transport chiefs), business owners were told the roadworks would go ahead.
"I lost a lot of trade throughout the works. Takings dropped by around 20 per cent overall, the equivalent of 10,000. I was not taking trade for several days at one point. It was terrible.
"Trade picked up again a bit after the end of June but it has slowed once again."
A spokesman for East Sussex County Council said: "We appreciate that businesses may be finding it difficult in the current economic downturn and would like local residents to know that Kings Road is open for business.
"The aim of the work was to create a busy thoroughfare from Warrior Square Station to the seafront by using high quality materials and creating attractive squares, such as at Pevensey Road, with public art at various locations.
"Making the environment more pleasant for people helps to improve the shopping experience, help existing businesses and attract more investment.
"These works were part of an investment programme for central St Leonards funded by the county council, Hastings Borough Council, South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), and others. This included improvements to shop fronts and housing, grants for new businesses and incentives for people to move to the area."
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Sunday 05 February 2012
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