PUBLICAN Ken Barlow is delighted to inform his customers that work outside his pub have finally ended and Harpers Lane in Fence has now reopened - for at least a few months.

Ken, who owns the Harpers Inn, wished service companies had followed the lead of a popular TV advert.

The advert shows firms spotting a hole already dug in a road then all making use of it to plumb water pipes, lay cables and connect sewers - but it doesn't work like that in real life as Ken has found to his cost.

Harpers Lane was first dug up in August by British Telecom, then there was the gas company and the water people and finally Lancashire County Council.

Although the road stayed open for access only, Ken says his lunchtime passing trade was seriously affected because motorists saw the road closed sign and drove on to the next pub.

Ken said: "Lunchtime trade has been very badly affected because the men were working in the road during the day.

"Now they have gone we want to get the message across to any customers who might have thought we were closed that we are definitely open and would welcome them back at any time."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "All the utilities have now finished working and LCC has resurfaced the road.

"There is a condition on the resurfacing of the roads that utilities can only dig it up again in the next six months if it is an emergency.

"The council holds co-ordination meetings every two months and at the last meeting there was no mention of any work needed doing on that road. We hope it won't be dug up again in the near future."

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