'Town roadworks have forced me to shut my pub'
BBCA landlady has said she has been forced to temporarily close her pub due to ongoing roadworks which have caused a 75% drop in takings.
Julie Goodwin, owner of Connolly's Irish Pub in Southport, said works to pedestrianise part of the town which began in January had left the area "like a demolition site for months" which had been "financially disastrous" for her business.
"Nobody's walking down here, there's no footfall, tourists are not going to come here it's just terrible," she said.
Sefton Council said the authority had worked closely with the business on King Street and "worked hard to minimise disruption".
The works are part of plans to regenerate and pedestrianise the area around Market Street and King Street in the town but local businesses said they were taking too long, pedestrian routes through the works were confusing and footfall was down dramatically.
"It's just chaos around here," she said.
"There's dust, it's noisy. We've had lovely weather recently and nobody wants to sit on a building site."
She said takings were down 75% month on month since the roadworks began.
"Financially it's been disastrous for us, it looks like a demolition zone," she said.
Her frustrations were echoed by other business owners in the area.
Tracy Jones, owner of The Plant Room on Market Street, estimated footfall was down 70% and said she had been forced to take on a second job in the evenings to make ends meet.
"I'm just about hanging on in there by a thread," she said.
"I'm having to work in the evenings to cover the rent on the shop now which I never had to do before.
"I will do whatever it takes whilst this works going on and to keep my business afloat," she said.
Crystals and Crowns owner Rosie Coates said while local businesses had been consulted on the pedestrianisation they did not expect such prolonged disruption.
"They didn't mention how long it was going to take or that they were going to do all the roads at the same time," Ms Coates said.
"Since January it's just been chaos. I am approximately 70% down on my takings.
"People don't want to walk around a building site and I don't blame them."
Sefton Council said the authority had worked closely with the businesses including redesigning the planned new pavement area outside premises to provide more space for outdoor seating.
"We will continue to review the phasing, the signage and consider any options to support businesses during the project," a representative said.
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