Butchers say gasworks will ruin hot BBQ weekend sales

Local business Stour Valley Game and Butchers has faced issues due to emergency works on the A28 near Canterbury.

Daran Byrom, who is co-owner of the butchers, says the issues mean they are losing a third of customers.

“Where it’s usually five minutes to get to us, it’s [now] 25 minutes,” he said.

The hot weekend makes it a good time for people to barbecue, but the closure doesn’t make so good for Mr Byrom.

He said: “It’s a proper barbecue weekend. We should be busy, but I don’t think we will be if the road stays shut.

“No businesses and none of the homes have been notified that it’s going to be closed. They just shut the road and it’s like ‘tough luck’. ”

He says that the gasworks are now complete, but the road just needs tarmacking.

“The first eight days it was closed, there was no work done at all on that road,” he said.

“Every time we went past it, there was nobody there at all.

“Everybody around here is really, really, up in arms about it all. It is unbelievable.”

Issues due to the closures have extended past the locals as an ambulance followed diversion signs taking them to the closed road.

Nearly two weeks ago the road closure began, but two different repairs have taken place.

The roads were previously closed due to a burst water pipe, but gasworks have left little breathing room for businesses.

The works are being carried out by SGN, who said they would be finished by May 7, but are still ongoing.

It is now claimed that the emergency gas works will be completed on May 14.

To add to the problems, the signage put up was listed as the wrong street, but it has since been rectified.

SGN has been approached for a comment.

 

Featured image credit: Stour Valley Game & Butchers