Traders' anger over city centre improvement works that are 'ruining businesses'

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Coventry City Council said the works will make the area more attractive



Traders have hit out over claims they are out of pocket – due to major ongoing improvement works in Coventry city centre.

The frontage of several businesses in Smithford Way is entirely covered, with individual entrances allowing people to access shops and cafes.

And Sonia Watts, store manager of Hayes Travel said the situation is having a serious effect on the number of people coming in.

The works were already taking place when the store opened in December, meaning that no one knows they are there, she added.

She’s also been told that the works will be ongoing for 14 months.

January is an important month in the travel business, with many people booking their holidays for the year and cashing in on deals.

But Ms Watts fears that the works outside the store frontage will make them miss out on sales, forcing them to play ‘catch up’ for the rest of the year.

“It’s causing real problems with footfall,” she said. “People just don’t know we are here.”

The unit used to be a Thomas Cook store, and was one of a number across the country taken on by Hayes Travel when Thomas Cook folded. Many kept on the same staff and opened in October, but new staff had to be found for the Coventry outlet, meaning it opened later than most on December 9.

Ms Watts said: “January is a key month for trading. Around 23 per cent of our year’s target comes from January, so if we don’t make that, there's no way we can catch up for the rest of the year.

“It’s having a real effect on morale among the staff. I keep asking how long it will take, but the communication from the council has been rubbish. It just seems like they’ve dug up the street and left it.”

She added: “Everything is against us at the moment. I’m at my wits’ end. It's ruining our business."



The area outside Sovrano Caffe Restaurant was cordoned off on Tuesday, and the owners were asked to move their outdoor seating.

A lot of customers enjoy the café culture offering, meaning many sit outside to enjoy a coffee and a cigarette.

Director Majed Bahgozen said: “We’ve asked numerous times about compensation, but we’ve had no response.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council , said: “We’re hard at work at the moment improving the city centre now that we’ve secured the funding. We’ll be seeing some significant changes, which will make the city centre more attractive, greener and brighter, making the best of the old and the best of the new."

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O'Boyle mentioning hard work

This work seems to be poorly planned and executed. It's not good enough when you consider the rent and rates that these businesses pay.

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The only chip shop in Medieval Spon Street also blamed council roadworks for putting them out-of-business.