Storm repairs prompt anger

Storm repairs prompt anger

A NEWCASTLE businesswoman has warned work on a £340,000 scheme to repair the town’s sea defences will impact on traders at South Promenade.

Work is due to start shortly on an eight-week scheme shoring up a stretch of the harbour wall which took a pounding from high seas and gale force winds last December and during the first few weeks of this year.

Several cracks opened in the wall and it’s understood a number of holes which have been discovered under the surface of the main road will also have to be repaired.

Kathleen Donnan, who owns the Nearbuy store, is angry she was given one day’s notice that work would be starting and vehicles would not be allowed to stop directly outside her store as traffic would be restricted to one lane.

The businesswoman is also upset that while a series of bollards were placed outside her store on Tuesday of last week to mark out a temporary footpath, work on repairing the sea defences has yet to start.

“I am concerned there will only be one-lane of traffic along South Promenade during this work,” she declared, revealing that when the bollards were placed outside her store last week, she served two customers in a four-hour period.

“I was given no warning this work would be starting. A stop off area outside my shop cannot be used by customers when there is only a single lane of traffic. The Roads Service says the work will stop over the Easter holiday period but that provides me with little comfort.”

Kathleen said her misery is compounded by the fact contractors working on the scheme will access the beach directly opposite her business.

“The way things are going to be during this work means people will not be able to shop outside my store. This will impact on business and reduce my passing trade,” she continued.

“I am annoyed the Roads Service has waited until now to carry out this work when the better weather is here and the days are longer. This is the time many businesses look forward to as the winter is long enough for many of us.”

Kathleen said while the bollards have been in place for almost a week, “a single shovel has yet to be lifted to start repairs.”

She added: “My business has already suffered and I really fear what is going to happen over the next number of weeks. The timing of this scheme has been a complete disaster.

“This is just not acceptable and completely disgusting. I run a small business which relies heavily on passing trade. The winter is long enough and it’s a time why you struggle to get by until the good weather comes and things start to pick up. Now I have all this to contend with. The timing is just ridiculous.”

Councillor Willie Clarke has welcomed the start of work to repair the resort’s sea defences which he said have weakened over the years.

He confirmed he has been spoken with Kathleen Donnan and contacted the Roads Service highlighting the need to do everything possible to minimise disruption to business owners at this part of the resort.