Landlords warn Wanborough road closures are 'killing' pub trade

Pub landlords and small business owners have described the debilitating effects of the ongoing Wanborough Road closure as “horrific and stressful”.

Wanborough Road was initially due to close for 12 weeks from June 6 until September 9, but the discovery of Roman remains has pushed back the reopening date. 

Swindon Borough Council has suggested it may take until next June for contractors to finish off the works.

Wanborough Road (Image: Newsquest)

Landlord at The Harrow Inn Sanjay Dogra is worried about the months ahead and about how long he will be able to continue.

“I don’t know how we can survive as it’s even affecting more established premises in the village.

“During the day, Wanborough is like a ghost town. It’s absolutely dead because no one comes through here. People are cancelling because of the road closures and now it’s harder to get bookings at all.”

He is not reassured by the council’s plan to reopen the road from November 7 until mid-January – a plan which is designed to help businesses benefit from the World Cup and Christmas period.

Sanjay Dogra (Image: Newsquest)

“The trade over Christmas will not pay for the business we have lost over the whole summer and for the months of January, February and March which are always quieter. Summer was destroyed by the roadworks.”

Sanjay is one of many who think the signage for the scheme is confusing.

“The signage is completely wrong. I’ve lived in Swindon for 18 years and I know Swindon more than people coming from outside. If I get confused, what about those who only depend on a satnav?”

Paul Studholme, who runs The Brewers Arms, agrees. He said: “The diversion that’s in place is too long when there’s a much simpler route and it just puts people off.

“While people may have made the effort in the summer months, it’s not as bad as driving out and finding a road closure sign on a dark winter’s evening.”

Paul Studholme outside The Brewers Arms (Image: Newsquest)

Paul has been involved in the pub trade for around 50 years but says he’s “never known it to be so difficult”.

“The future is looking bleak. We might as well be closed during January and February with the costs of gas and electricity,” he added.

“Wanborough has too many pubs for it to survive in this situation and it’s definitely impacting us.

“I don’t think opening the road for that amount of time over Christmas is going to help because it’s going to add to the uncertainty of it all for customers. We’re all struggling for business because of the uncertainty now.

“Really what should be happening is that we should be getting a big advertising feature from the council to let everyone know we’re still open."

Wanborough is home to five pubs. On a normal Sunday evening, Paul might expect 70 bookings; last Sunday, he had 20.

Florist Charlotte Phipps said the situation is “awful” and agrees that the signage is poor. 

“It’s horrible how quiet the village is. People get half-way to me [at The Marsh] but the signs are so confusing they don’t come into the village so they just end up ordering from my website.

Newsquest (Image: Newsquest)

"It's 75 per cent quieter in my shop since that road has closed.

"People don’t impulse buy online, not like when they’re walking around the shop."

Charlotte used to stock around 200 to 300 house plants in the shop; now she stocks 10 in case they go off before they're sold.

A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said: “Significant Roman remains have been found during Conlon Ltd’s closure of Wanborough Road, who are carrying out work on behalf of Vistry Group and Bellway as part of the legally permitted work for the Redlands housing development. 

“This understandably means that workers have to be very careful when digging up the road and it has significantly hindered their progress.

“We negotiated with Conlon to get the road reopened around Monday, 7 November until mid-January to help businesses during one of the busiest times of the year, and to help the local pubs and the hospitality trade to benefit from the upcoming World Cup and Christmas period. 

“It also makes it easier for residents to do their Christmas shopping. The road will then close again in mid-January for up to five months to complete the work of installing new highway drainage, street lights and footpaths in the area, and then to resurface the road.”

“We appreciate this is an extremely difficult time for all those affected, and we will keep you updated in our Highways News e-newsletter: www.swindon.gov.uk/newsletter.”