Fears sewerage works will damage Westham business

A business owner in Westham has said a month of road closures planned around his shop could seriously affect his earnings during his busiest trading time of the year.
Guy Soper at his Cycletech shop in Westham (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-190804-110319008Guy Soper at his Cycletech shop in Westham (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-190804-110319008
Guy Soper at his Cycletech shop in Westham (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-190804-110319008

Guy Soper, from Cycle Tech in Eastbourne Road, said he was forewarned the sewerage works in Rattle Road would mean at least four weeks of closures this summer outside his shop.

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He said he was worried customers would be put off if they couldn’t get to the shop as before.

Guy Soper at his Cycletech shop in Westham (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-190804-104813008Guy Soper at his Cycletech shop in Westham (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-190804-104813008
Guy Soper at his Cycletech shop in Westham (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-190804-104813008
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He said: “They’re going to shut the road outside my shop during my busiest trading period, the month when I take about 30 per cent of my annual trade in three weeks.”

Southern Water, which is upgrading a sewer beneath Pevensey Park Road and Eastbourne Road, has said it has to close the road around the level crossing area to prevent a build up of traffic.

But parking available in nearby roads and access to the shop unit was one of Guy’s main reasons for picking that spot, he said, as customers came in for bike repairs.

“You can ride a bike across the crossing but obviously, if you’re bringing down a bike to the bike shop, most of my customers tend to come by car,” he said.

It comes after traders near Eastbourne station said months of repaving work on their street had ‘destroyed’ trade.

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