Independent retailers lose custom after Cradley Heath High Street dug up

Affected retailers say Cradley High Street has been dug up further along the road than they were told it would be in notices, and say that it is lasting longer than originally planned.

One shopkeeper who has run her independent business on the High Street for 10 years says she has seen footfall drop by a third, while the owner of a card shop called it 'diabolical' and said the work has hit the usual rush around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

Also up in arms about the work is 62-year-old Ken Ball, who has seen a noticeable drop in customers at his specialist brewing shop Brewmonkey Homebrew on the High Street, which he has owned for the past five years.

He said:"The National Grid gave a leaflet to traders on Cradley Heath High Street detailing the timing and extent of the proposed road closures due to gas works on High Street and Prince Street.

"Now without any consultation they have changed their plans and moved further up the High Street, causing disruption and financial loss that the traders have not been able to plan for."

Next door Marva Innis, 64, who has run her womenswear and accessory shop Marva's for the past decade, said: "It is the final nail in the coffin.

"It is right in front of my shop. This morning I had two customers when by now I'd normally have at least six."

Further up the High Street, owner of Cards R Us, 49-year-old Nicola Wynn, said: "It is diabolical. The work started on February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, and now it will be going into Mother's Day too.

"There are a lot of elderly people around here and they can't access the shops, and the buses can't get down the road. So we are losing customers.

"My husband Martin also has his own shops and they told him it would be finished on Monday. Then I spoke to one of the workmen too and they said no it would be a week on Monday.

"A lot of the time they don't seem to be doing any work," added Mrs Wynn.

Yet a spokesman from Sandwell Council said they understood that work is due to finish on March 31.

There has been additional confusion as a sign by the roadworks states it would last four weeks, whereas the leaflet handed out to businesses said eight.

A National Grid spokesperson said: "Our engineers returned to High Street, Cradley Heath, on Monday. February 13 to complete the final phase of a vital gas mains replacement upgrade. The work is on schedule.

"We have kept businesses fully informed and updated. We would like to thank people for their patience during these essential works."