No compensation for Papal visit disruption, firms told

Businesses affected by the Pope's mass at Coventry Airport have been told they will not get compensation.

Firms in the Baginton area of the city had feared they would have to close for a week for security reasons.

Coventry City Council said that was not the case but there would be no payment for any disruption during the September visit to the UK by Pope Benedict XVI.

He will give an open air service at the airport expected to be attended by thousands of worshippers.

'Not valid'

John McGuigan, the council's director of strategic planning and partnerships, said the final details were still being worked on but there would not be a week-long exclusion zone, as had been rumoured locally.

"I can't believe that we are talking about disrupting that whole area for that period of time, it's just not necessary," he told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire.

But he said there would not be any compensation: "It's a state visit, it's not valid.

"The reality is you might as well forget any major event in this country if you've got to think about compensation because the event would not happen."