Margate’s Fort Hill closes today for three days as part of the de-dualling project making space for the Turner Contemporary Gallery.

As work will then switch to paving over the redundant stretch of road, licensee of the hill’s Britannia pub, Jon Wood, is hoping there will be an upturn in his business after months of falling trade.

Kent County Council contractors started work on the project, which is costing around £900,000, in April. Since then, says Jon, week day trade has virtually disappeared. It’s only the weekend live music trade which has kept the pub going.

He said: “I’ve lost all my week day trade and there is no longer any point serving food. I haven’t had to lay anybody off, but I didn’t replace the person who has left. Instead, I’m working the extra hours myself.

“Luckily, the Britannia is well known for its live music at weekends, so we have been surviving through that.”

“I’ve looked into compensation for loss of business but my lawyer has advised that KCC doesn’t have to pay me anything.

“The guys on the ground have been as good as gold, keeping in touch with me and telling me what they are going to do and ensuring my deliveries get through. It’s just the county council’s approach that annoys me.

“The scheme is costing nearly £1 million but I can’t see how the local community is going to benefit from the project.”

A KCC Highways spokesman said Fort Hill would be closed on September 3, 4 and 5 for the resurfacing work, weather permitting. Signs will be in place to tell drivers and there will be a short diversion route while the road is closed.

She added: “Since April, Kent Highways has made a number of improvements to the area around the Turner Contemporary site which will increase road safety and make it more attractive for residents and visitors. These include new street lighting and pedestrian areas.

“This work is in addition to de-dualling Fort Hill and was carried out to benefit the area overall. The total cost of these improvements added to the de-dualling budget is approximately £900,000 but the de-dualling costs have not substantially changed.”

Margate ward councillors are also critical of the three day closure of Fort Hill.

Cllr Clive Hart said: “This work will mean that the whole summer season in Margate has been completely disrupted by the eyesore roadworks.

“From day one this project has been rushed through simply for the benefit of prospective out-of-town developers. Residents were not consulted before the work was started and I believe the cost should have been met entirely by those developers and not subsidised through local residents’ rates.”

Cllr Iris Johnston said: “Margate traders have suffered a double whammy of delayed and inconsiderate road works this summer and I urge everyone who has suffered such incompetence to look for hardship rate relief via TDC and where works have gone over six months to insist on a complete revaluation.”