Waterlooville businesses face a miserable Christmas

10.04.21am GMT Mon 10th Nov 2008

Liz and Fred Dunford in Waterlooville precinct

Liz Leffman, prospective Lib Dem MP for Meon Valley, has expressed her concern that shops in Waterlooville Town Centre are struggling to survive, due to extended refurbishment in the town centre precinct. Businesses in the precinct have told Liz that their takings are well down, thanks to the disruption outside their doors. They face a difficult Christmas because work which should have been finished by mid November will now run into January.

Liz Leffman is also angry that Havant Borough Council has allowed the developers to remove the canopies outside the shops, and that there are now no plans to replace them. The original planning application included glass canopies to replace the existing ones, but a later application to remove them went through on the nod, and businesses were not consulted.

"In the present economic climate, small businesses need all the help they can get", says Liz "But Conservative led Havant Borough Council seems not to understand just how difficult things are becoming. Allowing developers to save money by not replacing canopies will make life even more of a struggle for local shopkeepers. If we want people to shop locally, then we have to make sure that the environment is pleasant and welcoming. Removing the canopies, which protect people in the rain, will make it less attractive for people to come to the town centre."

Saturday was the last day of trading for Christine Walker, whose flower shop in the precinct has suffered because of reduced trade, due to the disruption. Her business was doing well till August, when the refurbishment started, but once the central pedestrian area was closed off and scaffolding was erected, customers drifted away.

"It is hard to understand how this project can be overrunning, when there are so many people in the building trade without jobs at the moment" said Liz "It comes down to lack of control, and a lack of concern for the local economy."