North Yorkshire Council sorry for road closure affecting traders

Repairs to an "unsafe wall" in a village are having a detrimental impact on businesses, with one trader claiming sales are down by up to a third.

All businesses in Great Ayton are open but part of the High Street has been closed to traffic for up to 12 weeks to allow for a retaining wall to be built.

North Yorkshire County Council said it realised the work to the wall will cause "considerable disruption".

Another trader said drivers think the whole route is shut and stay away.

Richard Thompson who runs Thompson's Hardware told BBC Look North: "A lot of people were getting to the roundabout and turning around thinking the whole of the High Street is closed - which it isn't, it's just at the bottom end."

The picturesque village is a popular spot for visitors and traders are worried the road closure will harm trade in the summer months.

Movement was detected in the wall which sits between the road and River Leven earlier this year and its condition continues to deteriorate.

Butcher Ian Barnes said: "It's been an horrendous impact - we've lost between 25-30% of our sales in just a short amount of time.

"If it's going to be closed for 12 weeks or more, as the workmen are saying the water is under the road, I don't know what will happen."

North Yorkshire County Council apologised for the disruption but said as the wall was "unsafe and had to be rebuilt", with the closure of the road to traffic necessary to "protect the public".

The closure extends the length of the wall from the A173 junction to the Pinfold car park.

The footpath will remain open to pedestrians while the work is carried out.

Diversions have been put in place for motorists to access Great Ayton.

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