Job cuts blamed on roadworks in town centre

A fish and chip restaurant owner blamed Severn Trent’s ongoing roadworks in Newark for a downturn in business that led to him laying off three long-standing employees.

Mr Chris Bentley, who has run family-owned Bentley’s Fish And Chips Restaurant for 40 years, warned he may have to cut staff hours further if the customer footfall decline continued.

"Since March, when the roadworks were introduced, there has been a constant decline," he said.

"We have got to the point where we have to look everywhere at saving as much as we can."

Mr Bentley said one of his customers told him it had taken more than an hour to travel into the town from Ollerton.

Mr Bentley said the time and effort of getting into Newark was putting people off making the journey.

"The problem is that once people are here, it is just as difficult to get out of the town — and there seems to be no let up," he said.

Severn Trent has a compensation scheme for affected businesses during the £60m project to upgrade the water and waste system in Newark, but will help only those on the roads where work takes place, not surrounding areas.

Mr Bentley said: "No one is doing anything to help. It is having an adverse affect on the entire town.

"You think it is just yourself, but when I speak to other business owners they are all saying the same.

"If you were to ask people in every shop they would all say the works have had a massive impact."

Mr Bentley spoke to Newark and Sherwood District Council about reducing carparking fees in a bid to entice people back into the town, but was told pay machines could not be altered to allow for longer free parking.

Mr Bentley, who said his business rates had increased by almost £1,000 since last year, said: "It is one thing on top of another and it feels like it is becoming impossible to keep going.

"When it comes to the rates we are not on an even playing field because it goes by the square footage of the shop.

"Some businesses have a good income from online sales, so can have smaller shops and, in turn, do not have to pay as much rates, but their profits could be better than ours.

"With the added pressure from the Severn Trent works, it would be helpful if the council could look at a rate rebate or something along those lines — but I am highly doubtful anything like that will happen.

"It is a worrying time for everyone in the town. If it carries on the way it is I dread to think what will happen. We can only stay open so long if the money is not coming in."

A spokesperson for Severn Trent said: ‘‘Our £60m project is vital in making sure that homes and businesses are protected from sewer flooding, as well as providing Newark with a reliable water supply for years to come.

"We have been working hard to make sure our work has as little impact on businesses in Newark as possible so shops can continue to operate as normal.

"While the one-way system is in place we are running a free shuttle bus service to make sure shops and businesses are easily accessible, and we have been making sure that signs on our barriers around our work make it clear that businesses are open as usual."

Severn Trent, with the support of the district council, prepared adverts to help drive more visitors to the town.

The Severn Trent spokesman said: "We would encourage everyone to continue to support their local businesses in the heart of Newark.

"We continue to work closely with local businesses. Any business owners on the streets we are working on who have concerns about a loss of profits can discuss that with us."

Severn Trent said its work on Castlegate was on track to finish before the start of Newark Festival on June 15.

A spokesman for the district council said it was not prepared to make a statement on the subject of free parking or business rates.