York anti-terror bollards works hitting business, say traders

Work to install anti-terror bollards in a York street has led to a big fall in customer numbers, with one new shop forced to temporarily close after days of no visitors, traders have said.

The barriers are being installed in Goodramgate after police said they were needed to protect people from attacks.

But traders said the roadworks had seriously affected business.

The council said it would not be able to compensate businesses for disruption caused by the roadworks.

Work to install the permanent anti-terror barriers in parts of York began earlier this year.

They are designed to prevent or hinder hostile vehicle attacks, with City of York Council previously saying the measures were similar to those installed in other British cities.

However, Jonathan Burgoyne, co-owner of new shop The Knutti Store, which opened in July, said the roadworks now being carried out in Goodramgate to install the bollards were proving "soul destroying".

Mr Burgoyne and co-owner Anthony Lewis said they had been "super excited" after opening the shop and had an "excellent" first two weeks, but then the roadworks got under way last week.

Since then, customer numbers had fallen dramatically, with no customers at all on one day, they said.

As a result Mr Burgoyne and Mr Lewis said they closed for several days and were now considering shutting up shop completely during September until the roadworks were completed.

Mr Lewis said communication with the council about the work had been poor and even "hostile", as many traders did not know how far down the road the works would stretch or that signs would be installed telling people the footpath to their shop was closed.

"I think the council need to issue an apology," he said.

Mr Burgoyne said he understood the need for anti-terror measures, but believed the timing of work during the school holidays had been poor.

Support from "kind customers has been keeping us going", he added.

Next door, at restaurant La Piazza Antica, manager Dennis Zeca said business was down by 55%, with half his reservations not showing up because they were struggling to find the venue behind the hoardings.

"We are about to start closing for lunch. We figured out this is when it's the noisiest [from the roadworks] and it's unbearable to dine in our restaurant at that time," he said.

"Over the past week, we've probably lost thousands of pounds in business."

On the other side of the street, families with prams and pedestrians with bicycles patiently wait to pass each other on the narrow strip of pavement left to pass the works.

At Goji Cafe, owner Imogen Natley said she had also seen footfall to her premises halved.

She said communication from the council had been poor: "We had one letter a few weeks ago, no one has come to speak to us.

"I think more should be done for businesses. It's everybody's busiest time of year.

"We need some sort of compensation to be spoken about."

Councillor Pete Kilbane, executive member for economy and transport for City of York Council, said the authority would not be able to compensate businesses for disruption caused by roadworks.

He said he "fully understands and sympathises" with traders, adding: "This is one of many programmes we have inherited from the old Liberal Democrat administration that we were far from happy about at the time, but we are determined to make the best of it.

"When you are doing these kinds of works, it does cause a lot of dust and noise and disruption and there's no way around that."

He added: "As a small business owner myself, I fully understand the pain and the harm it causes."

Mr Kilbane said the work was expected to be completed within four weeks.

The council needed to "learn the lessons" about how best to work with businesses near construction projects, he said.

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