Bridge closure is hitting trade, say businesses

Thousands of pounds worth of trade is being lost due to the closure of a village bridge, businesses have said.

The 15th Century bridge on the B4085 Honeybourne Road is one of the main routes into Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire.

It has been shut to vehicles since August, after an Uber driver crashed into it, and traders said they had seen a sharp drop in footfall since.

Warwickshire County Council said the closure was important to protect road users and that it was hoping to have it reopened as quickly as possible.

Guriq Randhawa, from Bidford Pharmacy, told BBC CWR the store was set to lose an estimated £4,000 because of the closure and some deliveries were taking drivers about 30 minutes longer than usual.

"We've noticed possibly a 20% reduction in shop sales because we would be the nearest pharmacy for a lot of the locality on the other side of the river," he said.

"It’s been pretty impactful. We weren't sure how it would be initially, but it's certainly noticeable looking at the monthly statements now."

The council said it was hoping to have the bridge repaired and reopened by the end of November, but that it would depend on the weather and river levels.

Mr Randhawa said it was "vital" that the work was finished on time, particularly approaching the winter months when the pharmacy tends to get busier.

Katie Blundell, who works at The Bulls Head pub, said income had been half what it normally was, which she put down to the drop in passing trade resulting from the closure.

"I know it's taken a massive hit on a lot of businesses, but especially here," she said.

Ms Blundell added it was "massively crucial" that the work was done by the Christmas period, saying: "It can be make or break for a lot of businesses within the village."

A spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council said: "Unfortunately, the closure has to happen in order to protect road users. We are doing everything we can to keep to the timetable of repairs that will see it safely reopen as soon as possible.

"A final date for completion of work has been estimated as being the end of November, subject to weather and river levels, in line with the early estimates after the incident."

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