BUSINESSES in a small Exmoor village fear they could lose 60 per cent of trade while Somerset Council closes the important B3222 road for more than two months.

Council highways contractor Kier is due to start a drainage scheme on Monday (January 5) on the road running through Brushford.

The project is scheduled to take 61 days until March 6 with a 330-yard (300 metres) stretch of the road closed between 9.30 am and 3.30 pm Monday to Friday from Riphay Cross to Allers Down Lane.

An eight-mile diversion is being put in place via Dulverton and the A396 to Exebridge, while temporary two-way traffic lights will be in use at night.

Carnarvon Stores and Murco petrol station, Brushford, owner Judith Gannon described it as a ‘callous threat to the rural economy’ by the council, which had only given her four weeks’ notice of the closure.

Ms Gannon said the store stood to lose thousands of pounds of business every week because of the road closure, which the council had refused to reschedule to soften the impact.

She said: “I have been trying to get them to re-plan to night closures which would have much less impact on the local economy and residents.

“At first, I was told this was not possible because it was dangerous.

“When I pointed out this was how they routinely carried out works and, in fact, is exactly how they are planning to carry out the works in Cutcombe in order to avoid damage to the local economy, I have been met with silence.

“Our business, which serves a wide local area, will be severely impacted.

“We estimate about 60 per cent of our business will disappear.

“For a couple of weeks, which is what they did last time, is survivable.

“For two months, it is not.

“A number of businesses, who are vital to this community and to sustaining the local economy, will suffer devastating losses as a result of this.

“One being the Carnarvon store and petrol station.

“This provides essential services to a wide catchment of the rural population.

“The business supports many local suppliers and directly employs 10 staff, including a dedicated bakery team.

“They have only recently taken on a young, local apprentice baker.”

Ms Gannon said the council had offered to display route diversion signage but had rejected the idea of any compensation payments.

She said: “They have also rejected a suggestion the work could be done at night in a much shorter period, around 14 days.

“This is despite the fact they have just agreed to carry out night working at Cutcombe to avoid disruption to Snowdrop Valley.”

A council spokesperson told the Free Press: “This is a major scheme aimed at improving drainage on this route.

“Our team has been liaising with the community on this vital piece of drainage work and are trying to ensure disruption is minimised.

“Sometimes nighttime working is an option, but is not possible in this case due to safety reasons, because of the type of work and close proximity to people’s homes.”