Shop owners say they're losing hundreds of pounds per dayCoventry businesses say they are being 'killed' by extensive roadworks, which are set to last until December. Shop owners on Spon End are losing hundreds of pounds per day after pavement barriers were put up for a road widening scheme.
The businesses have also lost parking bays by their shopfronts due to a lane closure. A nearby road, Upper Spon Street, is also shut.
Kevin Thompson fears his barber shop of 36 years won't survive the changes. He estimated that he lost trade worth £150 on Monday September 12 and £200 on Saturday after the barriers went up.
The 69-year-old said: "It's killed the business. They put [new pavement barriers] up at 11 and until half five I had no customers. Usually I do quite a lot."
"There's no parking, people can't get across, a lot of older pensioners can't walk very well." he added.
Mr Thompson told CoventryLive he usually gets a lot of walk-in and drive in business and plans to seek financial compensation. "It might close me down," he said.
Nana Navan, who has run general store Hop'n'apple for 12 years, says he's lost "nearly £800" due to the drop in trade. He had space for seven or eight cars before the roadworks started, but now there are none.
Nana, who employs three people at the shop, is thinking of cutting its opening hours.
"Part of the business has gone," he said. "Half of [the customers] are not there."
"It's very bad at the moment."
Staff at Oasis Community Cafe on Upper Spon Street also said it's affecting their route to nearby Bethel Church. Josh Manley, who works at both the cafe and the Spon End church, said: "Crossing the road is an absolute nightmare at the moment."
The car park is still open but "it has been quite a pain getting in and out."
"For the most part [the council] have been really co-operative, they've kept us informed regularly," he said.
"I can't imagine what it's doing for the shops. It's a bit inconvenient but we've still got our car park."
Upper Spon Street is set to be closed until 16 December, though it's not clear how long the other roadworks will be in place for. The work is part of a Coventry City Council scheme to improve the city's air quality without introducing a congestion charge.