FED-UP businesses in the centre of Mapplewell say trade has been severely affected by months of road and footpath works commissioned by Barnsley Council.
Traders claim passing trade has all but stopped and have blamed the local authority for failing to put plans in place to protect them during the works, which began on June 4 and remain ongoing.
Having entered their 17th week on Monday, roads including High Street, Blacker Lane and Greenside were resurfaced last weekend leading to more road closures and misery for businesses in the village.
Ron Ford, who runs retailer Budgens, told the Chronicle his weekly turnover has been down by £5,000 because of the ongoing work.
“These works have had a huge impact on not only me but every business in Mapplewell as the passing trade just isn’t there. People can’t access the centre as the roadworks have been that bad.
“We’re an out-of-town centre with a great selection of shops, but it’s pointless when people choose to avoid being stuck in traffic.”
Mapplewell’s centre, which was described as ‘quintessentially Yorkshire’ thanks to its traditional look by traders, has received new block paving on its paths, stainless steel bollards and a blue bench as part of Section 106 work funds set aside by developers to improve the local area.
However, businesses say the additions look out of place amongst many stone-built buildings from the late 1800s and blasted the quality of the new paving.
Local Liberal Democrat campaigner Steve Hunt said: “As a local resident I have been concerned to hear that the ongoing disruption in the village has left many shops struggling. Businesses have closed and jobs have been lost - there seems to be no end to the misery.
“I am calling on the council to urgently address the issues in Mapplewell and provide a firm date to the business owners as to when disruption will end. This needs to be accompanied with a firm commitment that no further planned works will be carried out in the foreseeable future. Trade in the village needs time to recover.”
Pet Barn’s Beverley Kellett blasted the new bollards’ positioning, which fellow businesses say has stopped them from being able to unload outside their premises.
“Our trade has been down by about 25 per cent in the months since the work began. But it’s not just that we’re all having to contend with, it’s also the bollards which have been placed right outside the shop.
“They’re meant to make Mapplewell look more attractive but the work hasn’t been done to a high standard. Because we can’t park at the front of our shop now and the back is too narrow, we’re having to load a big trolley in the car park off Spark Lane and risk pushing it across the road.
“We’re all working hard to get the trade we have lost back because of the work but it’s so hard for everyone.”
Two businesses Deeply Daisy and Barnsley Bait and Tackle have already closed since the beginning of the scheme and traders worry more will follow.
A council spokesman told the Chronicle that they will be making contact with affected businesses.
“We are very conscious of the fact that the past few months have been very challenging for all concerned in Mapplewell and we have considered this when making decisions of when works can be carried out.
“CR Reynolds carried out the work in the centre of Mapplewell for a ten-week period ending August 7. During this period they completed all the footway works, leaving the carriageway resurfacing work to be carried out at a later date.
“We refused them an extension of their permit to work as operational services had pre-booked the road space for a period of three weeks, including weekend working, to resurface Shaw Lane and Greenside as part of the local roads programme.
“CR Reynolds were told that they could not return to carry out the carriageway resurfacing work until operational services completed their work.
“The work involved to resurface the junction is very complicated to achieve in such a restricted space. Therefore, we agreed to three working Sundays commencing September 16 involving road closures of Greenside and Spark Lane.
“However, in the interests of maintaining Sunday trading for the licensed premises in the area the contractor has been instructed to remove the road closures from 11am and certainly no later than midday. Blacker Road and Towngate will remain open to traffic albeit controlled by temporary traffic lights.”
