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Gloucestershire Business News

Businesses lose tens of thousands of pounds during Over roundabout work

A £2.756 million scheme aimed at improving a major roundabout junction north of Gloucester has costs businesses tens of thousands of pounds in lost trade.

The work to the busy junction where the A417 heading north out of Gloucester crosses the northern A40 bypass completed in August.

Its aim being to improve traffic flow at what becomes a bottleneck for commuters, business, public transport and HGV users on a daily basis and benefit the county as a whole over the long term.

But for the nearby restaurant The Wharf House, Over Farm Market and the White Hart pub at Maisemore it is a sore subject.

"I would say we lost about £35,000 over the period of the work," said David Penny, who runs the restaurant, which has just won its second AA rosette and is owned and run by the charity Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust.

"We have used the time as wisely as we can, to develop new menu ideas and managed not to lay anyone off, but it has not been easy.

"We had one of our older customers come in the other day who said it was good to be back. They had stayed away for three months to avoid the junction."

At nearby Over Farm it was a similar story, but not one with a happy ending just yet.

"It has definitely had an impact on our business. It is difficult to put a figure on it - but probably something like £20,000 to £25,000 loss," said Gill Loughrey, a director of the destination farm-based business, which as well as selling a range of fresh farm produce, breads, pastries, pies, cakes, and meats also has a café, pick your own fruit offers, and stages the popular Frightmare events every Halloween.

"Trade has not come back yet, but we don't think we will get any compensation," she added.

Keshar Sherthan, of the White Hart at Maisemore, said: "It had a big impact. Trade was 30 per cent down. It has come back now though."

He too had a strong suspicion any attempt to claim compensation would fall on deaf ears, and it appears his hunch was right.

Scott Macaulay-Lowe, major projects team leader at Gloucestershire County Council said: "With any highway scheme, we always do our best to minimise disruption, not only for those businesses located in the area, but for all road users, including those using the roads to conduct their business.

"However, as the highway authority, we have no obligation to maintain business activity during roadworks, so consequently we would not consider compensation claims for lost revenue.

"This much needed improvement scheme has increased the capacity of the roundabout, which will relieve congestion, save commuters and businesses time and allow traffic to flow more smoothly for the benefit of all."

The total cost of the scheme was met by GFirst LEP (£2.23 million) and those behind the nearby Longford Housing development (£120,000).

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