Shopkeepers in Penrith say they are being forced out of business by roadworks required to solve a problem they were told had been fixed for good.
They also claim closure of the town’s Middlegate and Brunswick Road would have ended much sooner if the team doing the pipe replacement work for Northern Gas Networks (NGN) were on site for more than a few hours every day.
Additionally, they say more effort should have been made to ensure traffic could continue to move freely between the north and south ends of Penrith, by removing one-way restrictions on a temporary basis.
Some of the shopkeepers in Middlegate report they have taken just a few pounds on many days since the replacement of old gas mains started at the beginning of this month, while others have not bothered to open their doors after trade virtually dried up.
One of those hit has been Susan Mackay, of Finesse Bridal and Jewellery, who said she had taken just £60 over a two-week spell and that she might be forced to close the shop.
According to Susan, the last time gas pipeline replacement work was carried out in Middlegate, about four or five years ago, traders were assured by NGN and Eden Council that the new pipes would “last a lifetime”.
She also claimed workmen carrying out the pipe replacement were not on site on many days, and that their working days were very short. “I talked to one of the lads in the team and he said they had to come from their base in Workington, so they don’t get here until 10 o’clock or later, and they set off to get back at 3pm,” she said. “We do have hotels and B&Bs in Penrith — why can’t they stay in one of those?
“All the shopkeepers feel the same,” she said. “It’s the worst time we’ve ever had. The way I feel we’ll have to close the shop after 13 years.”
Warren Ryan, who runs Ryan’s Off Licence and the Zabka supermarket, also reported takings down by a massive amount. He was critical of the free parking scheme put in place at Bluebell Lane to help bring shoppers to the area, saying the fact it only operated from 3pm meant very few people bothered to take advantage of it.
Jacek Szymaniewski, of Jack’s Repairs, estimated that his trade had fallen by as much as 95 per cent. “In three weeks we’ve lost about £5,000,” he said.
“There’s no footfall or passing trade — people just can’t be bothered to go around town to get here. They should have arranged temporary by-passes down some of the one-way streets. It’s not like it can’t be done, they just don’t care.”
His partner, Michaela Kissova, said things had been very much the same at her Rustic shop, adding to the financial squeeze facing the couple. Jacek added that he is keen to form a group to get compensation for the shopkeepers from Northern Gas Networks. Discussions continue over whether this might be paid.
Huichun Song, who runs the Sukiya Chinese and Japanese takeaway, said he was losing around £300 per night because of the roadworks, adding: “From 3 o’clock there’s nobody around. They should be working two shifts.”
While the first phase of the pipe replacement scheme has been completed, with the north end of Middlegate and bottom of Brunswick Road open, disruption continues as the roadworks have shifted southwards. According to NGN, the old pipes were “prioritised for replacement” following repair work to a section of pipe on King Street.
Operations manager Dan Hind said: “NGN carefully plans its work to minimise disruption to residents, businesses and members of the public and is carried out during normal working hours. Our essential work in Penrith was planned in collaboration with Westmorland and Furness Council following extensive engagement with local stakeholders.
“A number of traffic management measures are in place to protect engineers and members of the public throughout this project, and we have selected diversion routes to accommodate all vehicles.
“Extreme cold did lead to reinstatement work being paused temporarily last week as we needed to change our approach to backfilling the excavation to ensure integrity of the pipeline in the ground, but otherwise the project is progressing well and is on track for completion towards the end of February.”
He added that businesses which have lost money as a result of the work “may be eligible to claim compensation”.
