Colwyn Bay traders’ fears over high street repairs

Dec 11 2008 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

SHOPKEEPERS in Colwyn Bay town centre fear five months of regeneration work to repave the main high street could spell the end for business.

The second phase of a £1.4m Assembly-funded council regeneration scheme to improve the shopping centre with improved paving and street furniture is due to begin on January 12, lasting five months.

But traders fear disruption could deter shoppers in the midst of a national financial slump.

The concerns echo those of businesses on Seaview Road who appealed unsuccessfully for compensation from the council when the first phase of work was carried out earlier this year.

Shopkeepers were enraged when fencing was erected to direct shoppers around the work in progress, blocking access and view. The 16-week programme was delayed by five more weeks, with some traders complaining work caused damage to windows and shop fronts.

When the scheme was first announced, traders opposed the plans and pleaded for the council to open the pedestrianised Station Road to traffic to boost business.

Wendy Arundale helps run Arundale’s Greengrocer with her husband Philip and said shopkeepers were concerned.

“Traders would like the road put back to a one-way system,” she said. “They are closing us down for six months. It was awful on Seaview Road so we are hoping it is not going to hit us quite so hard.”

Andrew Stuart runs the jewellers shop on the high street and said: “We would rather it was turned into a road so people could park nearby, it would make far more sense to keep it as a road with diagonal parking on one side.”

However, Bay Life Initiative’s Shane Wetton insisted the work and its timing was carefully considered.

He said: “We thought very carefully about when this work should take place. It was felt this time of year would have the least negative impact on trade, rather than Christmas or the summer season.”

richard.evans