TRADERS fear for the future of their small businesses after claiming that roadworks are turning shoppers away.

One shopkeeper, Peter Howis, of Bookworm, in Bank Street, Rawtenstall, says he has been forced to cancel his holiday because the work has slashed trade by half.

Peter and wife Susan were planning to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their bookshop business by making their first visit to the States.

But today he said: "Trade is so bad there is no way we could afford to pay for someone to be in charge of the business so we have been forced to cancel the holiday."

Next door at You and Yours ladies' and children's clothes shop, joint-owner Gwen Taylor said: "We have taken about a third of normal takings.

"I think the majority of people are staying out of town because of the works. We are all small businesses and the town is just empty.

"What we are concerned about is that once the work is finished is the trade going to come back? And are we ever going to recoup the losses we have made?"

Rossendale Council won Lottery money to uncover the old stone setts in Bank Street and work is currently taking place to relay and replace some of the cobbles.

The town's main street has been made one-way to enable the works to be carried out and at one stage railings were in place effectively fencing off one side completely to shoppers. A one-way system has also been introduced. Chairman of Rossendale Council's engineering and planning committee Coun Nick Pilling said: "Obviously the council is spending a lot of money to have this, and other, work carried out on Bank Street and the last thing we would want is for the town to become a white elephant.

"I am sure we will be arranging events and giving publicity to Bank Street once we have finished. It is then up to the traders to make their shops attractive.

"What we are doing is a fairly major piece of work and it is going to cause some disruption to everyone."

We are expecting the work to be complete in a few months time. Once complete the plans are for the one-way system to be revoked."

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