Roadworks paused as traders warn of 'suffering'

1 hour ago

Nathan Turveyin Brighouse

NATHAN TURVEY/BBC A picture of roadworks in Brighouse. There is a cone to the left and metal fencing, there are two workmen in hi-vis and helmets with rubble and gravel around them. There are shops in the background. — The first phase of the work in Brighouse town centre began in January

The £19m redevelopment of Brighouse town centre will be paused, after traders warned the town was "on the brink".

Reform UK, which now has overall control of Calderdale Council, said it would be "taking a fresh approach" to highways investment and wanted to make sure "every pound delivers the best possible outcome for our communities".

Phase one of the 18-month scheme, which began in January, is due to be completed this summer.

Calderdale Council's new Reform UK leader, Councillor Dan Sutherland, confirmed the second phase would be suspended until a review of the works is completed.

For Blair Manovi, who opened his bistro in Brighouse about a year ago, the pause has come too late.

He said he had been forced to lay off most of his staff because of a 70% drop in trade since the roadworks began.

"We had 15, now we have five left, they were sad and hopefully we can get them back when the business picks up and we'll take it from there," Manovi said.

NATHAN TURVEY/BBC A picture of Blair Manovi who has a beard and is wearing a grey top, standing in front of his bistro with metal railings and roadworks behind him. — Blair Manovi says he has had to lay off 10 staff because of the drop in footfall caused by the roadworks outside his bistro

"At the moment we just cannot afford to pay them.

"They could have done it part by part - not just closing it completely and leaving jobs behind without finishing.

"By the time they have finished it - it will be a long time and people are suffering big time."

BBC/NATHAN TURVEY A picture of Emily Smallman, who has blonde shoulder length hair, standing in front of the roadworks. — Business owner Emily Smallman says she is "trying to remain positive" because when the works are completed "it will be beautiful"

Emily Smallman opened her business in the town centre nine weeks ago.

"I didn't envisage it would be this bad when we opened," she said, but she was "trying to remain positive" because she thought it would be "beautiful" when the works were finally completed.

"I think at the moment though the issue that we've got is the barriers that are stopping people accessing the properties, the noise and the dust."

On the decision by Reform councillors to pause the work, Smallman said she was "hopeful that they are listening to us" and she feels the town "was not listened to" when the plans were put into place.

"Yes, a lot of people were positive and they did vote for this to be done - but it has become apparent that there's a hell of a lot more planning that was needed."

She said she had concerns about phase two of the work because that would have a big impact on her business.

"I don't want them to stop phase two, I want them to carry on with it, I just think before they carry on with it we need to learn from phase one and know that we need to do it better," Smallman added.

NATHAN TURVEY/BBC A picture of William Marshall, who has white hair and a white beard and is wearing a pink polo shirt and blue jacket, standing in front of some roadworks in Brighouse. There are metal barriers and workmen in the background and a row of shops. — William Marshall is one of the business owners behind a group of traders that has been set up because they feel Brighouse is "on the brink"

A group of independent traders called BRISK (Brighouse Independent Shop Keepers) have come together to form a committee which they hope will "strengthen their voice" in any future communications with Calderdale Council and its partners about the redevelopment.

We feel Brighouse is "on the brink", the group said.

"The final date for phase one has just been put back to August which has concerned a lot of the traders in town," BRISK said - and traders were worried that there was more than 12 months of work still due to be completed with phases two and three.

BRISK also said it planned to fight for compensation or a support fund for businesses that had suffered due to the disruption.

William Marshall is one of the business owners behind the group.

He said the last six months had been "horrendous" and that his footfall was down by half since the scheme had started.

"They put their spades in the ground the first week of January and it's been bitty and bitty and bitty - and now six months later it's not got any better," he added.

Sutherland said the scheme in Brighouse was a "legacy of the former administration" and they had "heard the concerns" of local communities and businesses about the impact it was having on them.

He said: "It is difficult to change a scheme that is currently under way, but we believe the seriousness of this case merits a pause whilst a review can be undertaken."

According to the Brighouse Town Deal Board, the aim of the project was to create "a more attractive, safer and cleaner town centre so those who shop, visit and enjoy spend longer, spend more and return often".

Howard Blagbrough, leader of the opposition Conservative group and chair of the board, previously told the BBC people would "see the benefit" once the pedestrianisation works had been completed.

The previous Labour administration at the council was also criticised earlier this year for increasing parking charges in the town, particularly while the roadworks were taking place.

It said at the time that the scheme was "a major investment, based on consultation with local people over a number of years, to support a thriving future for the town."

It added that changes to parking charges were in response to demand for parking spaces and would introduce consistency across the borough.

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