An independent trader fears it could take months before business picks up in Milton Regis after it was affected by roadworks.

Darryl Williams, who owns Right Choice Flooring, claims his takings were down 50% a week while engineers laid new underground gas pipes in the High Street on behalf of Southern Gas Networks.

He puts it down to customers not being able to park due to free, one-hour stay parking bays being barricaded off while the work was carried out from the end of July until last Thursday.

Mr Williams, 41, said: “They moved the barriers to start with then put them back and lined all their machinery up outside the shops. It was a nightmare. Even my deliveries couldn’t park outside, I was having to turn them away and collect them myself.

“I was shutting at 3pm because there was nobody about.

“I average about £2,500 a week in takings and I was only taking half of that during that period.

“We’re slowly starting to get people back, it’s gradual, but nothing like it was before because people have been taking a different route [to avoid the roadworks].

“I just want people to know it’s now back to normal. I’m hoping they’ll come back.”

A compensation scheme is in place for businesses which suffer a genuine loss of trade due to these types of works and information packs have been delivered to those affected.

But the married dad-of-two says he won’t be claiming.

He added: “It’s not worth doing because by the time I pay my accountant to hand everything over it will basically wipe out the compensation they give me.”

The work was needed to upgrade the existing gas mains and services, which had reached the end of their useful life, with modern plastic (polyethylene) pipe to ensure a ‘continued safe and reliable supply of gas into the future’.

At the time, Southern Gas Networks said it was carried out during the school summer holiday to minimise disruption.