Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:30 pm
Shop owners say they're losing hundreds of pounds per day
Coventry 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.
Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:34 pm
Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:08 pm
Family fear rumbling roadworks could cause their historic home to "fall down"
A Coventry family worry their historic house will be damaged or even "fall down" because of roadworks inches away from their front door. Gracen Haslam, 27, and her mother live on Spon End where controversial road widening works started this month.
The pair now fear their home, which is locally listed and believed to date back to the 16th century, won't cope as construction takes place over the next few months. Gracen told the Local Democracy Reporting service: "With these roadworks going on, I am frightened that my home might fall down to be honest.
"I can feel the vibrations inside when the roadworks are going on. Fair enough, the council have put vibration monitors in our home to monitor.
"But we have not heard anything from them." Gracen's mum, who didn't want to be named, said she was "scared" because of how near the works are.
"The worrying thing for me is the council said they'd be six foot from the front door - actually they're not six foot," she said. "Where they are digging, is this going to affect the foundations of the house? It's too close."
She also fears the new lane being built will put them at risk from heavy lorries that could tip over or crash into the house. "Safety is my biggest concern - we've only got a tiny bit of pavement."
Spon End is a conservation area with fourteen Grade II listed cottages and other locally listed buildings. Works are being done so the road can get a new lane of inbound traffic.
"These properties are some of the oldest in Coventry that are habitable, you'd think they would take care of them," Gracen's mother said.
"We've had to put in special windows and doors - £1,000 for one window. One minute they want to protect the properties, the next minute they want to do this thing. They're just ruining it all."
The works are causing them other problems too. The pair have lost the parking space outside their house and rely on construction workers for help to bring shopping over.
Bins aren't being collected and they believe a recent rat infestation that left the garden "full of holes" is linked to the works. They are sceptical about the effectiveness of the vibration monitor that's been installed by the council.
"I think It’s absolutely disgusting what’s going on and how none of us around the area have really and truly been heard," said Gracen. "It’s a nightmare and I know the nightmare is never going to end when the road is finally done."
"But I will praise the actual builders who are doing the job. They are so informative and friendly, so at least that is a positive."
Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:11 pm
A Coventry City Council spokesperson told the LDRS "we would like to thank residents and businesses for their continued co-operation while we carry out this vital work."
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