By GEMMA BROWN gemma.brown@hexham-courant.co.uk

Last updated 13:38, Thursday, 02 October 2008

BUSINESSES in Redesdale claim they are losing up to £500 per week following the total closure of the A68 road through the valley.

The road, which links with the A696 to form the main tourist route to Scotland, has been closed by Northumberland County Council since September 22 for re-surfacing work at Swinburne, and at the junction with the A696 at Elishaw, near Otterburn.

And the owners of businesses in Otterburn, West Woodburn and Ridsdale say the effects of the closure have been catastrophic.

Otterburn traders are still embittered after the county council closed the A696 itself in April this year without warning, and had to send out a team of senior officials to mollify local people.

Now angry traders claim the county council has reneged on a promise to provide clear signage, indicating that the villages are still open for business throughout the roadworks.

They were also told traffic would be allowed to pass through the roadworks wherever possible.

Instead, both local people and tourists have been left going round in circles via lengthy diversions, confused as to which parts of the road were accessible, if any.

Passing tourist trade, which the hotels, pubs and shops rely on, has seen a sharp fall.

Liz Askew, who runs the Gun Inn at Ridsdale, believes she has lost hundreds of pounds due to the closure.

She said: “We know this is necessary work, but it is the way it has been handled which has made a lot of people angry.

“We asked if the work could wait until the end of the summer season so that businesses at least wouldn’t lose out on trade at their peak times, but we were told no.

“Nobody knows which bits of the road are open and it’s been a complete nightmare.

“For example, on one day last week we only took £50 between noon and 11pm.

“We’ve probably lost around £500 a week.”

Clive and Sue Oddy, who run village shops in Barrasford, Otterburn and Scots Gap, say the work has caused chaos for them, and their customers, and they are now faced with travelling an extra 26 miles each day to visit each of their businesses.

Sue said: “The shop in Otterburn has only been open for three weeks so it is hard to say whether we have lost out compared to what would be normal.

“I do know that, because of the extra volume of traffic being diverted along the A696 through Otterburn during the closure, people have just not been able to stop to use the shop.

“Parking has been a huge problem and we have had many lost souls who have wandered in, not knowing the area, and have asked for directions because they don’t know how they have arrived in Otterburn.”

The couple say they have noticed a fall in business at their Barrasford shop as a lot of people use the A68 for access to the village.

Sue added: “The closed signs are up on the road but people are still driving through them. Nobody knows what is closed and what’s not.”

Both the owners of the village shop and post office and the Bay Horse Inn at West Woodburn have also reported a huge drop in takings.

A county council spokesman said the work was behind schedule, as it had to be postponed due to flooding at the beginning of September.

He added: “Throughout the works, where it has been possible, we have tried to maintain passable routes for local residents and businesses.

“The traffic management team has had operatives at either side of the closures to offer assistance and information letters when required.

“All residents and businesses were informed at an early stage of the proposed works and the likely duration of each phase.

“We carried out a large consultation process giving a series of working options as to how the works could be carried out successfully.

“We hope that, weather permitting, the re-surfacing will be completed by early next week and we would like to thank residents and regular users of the A68 for their patience during these essential works.”