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'Ten-week bridge closure could halve our pub's takings'

Ellen Knightin Longdon-upon-Tern
BBC The Hodsons stood side by side outside their pub. Mark is wearing a grey tshirt and Bonnie is wearing a dark blue dress with white flowers. The pub, behind them, is a large red brick building with 'The Tayleur Arms' painted on it in white writing. There is also a large freestanding pub sign with the pub's name on it. The sky is blue with white clouds. BBC
Mark and Bonnie Hodson started running the village pub in December

Businesses in a rural community have said they fear a significant loss in earnings due to the closure of a bridge.

The bridge in Longdon-upon-Tern, near Telford, is closed for repairs from 31 July until 3 October after being hit by a vehicle last year.

A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin Council said the authority had aimed to "minimise the impact [of the closure] wherever possible", and had installed signs "highlighting that local businesses remain open as usual".

But Mark Hodson, who runs the Tayleur Arms in the village with his wife Bonnie, estimated that "it's probably going to halve our income".

"We've [already] seen an immediate effect [on Friday]," he added.

On sunny, summer afternoons, the pub was normally "fairly full", he said, but one day into the bridge closure, there were only two tables in use.

It would affect workers as well, he added, with he and his wife wondering whether they needed as many young staff.

"We do understand that the bridge has to be fixed," Hodson said, "but it's really disheartening after trying so hard to build up a business."

Ellen Knight/BBC Photograph of a yellow sign, reading in black letters: "Structure Improvements, road closed here, 31 Jul, for 10 weeks." It is placed on a grass verge next to a road. Beyond the yellow sign are grey metal fences and orange traffic cones blocking off the bridge. Red signs with "road closed" on them in white letters are placed in front of the cones.Ellen Knight/BBC
The bridge closure is from 31 July until 3 October, a period of ten weeks

The diversion, for customers travelling from Telford, only added about seven minutes to the journey, Bonnie Hodson said.

But the issue is that "along that route there are lots of other pubs" which might tempt their regulars away.

"We just want to get the message across - come and see us, we're really doing our best here," she said.

With a programme of events already booked for the summer, including live music and a bouncy castle, the couple's message is: "Please travel the extra seven minutes, we're definitely worth it."

Ellen Knight/BBC Holly photographed crouching down next to a yellow Labrador Retriever. Holly is wearing a maroon polo shirt with 'Haleswood Pet Hotel' written on it in white letters, with an embroidered logo beneath it. Holly and her dog are crouched in front of a tractor tyre, which has been repurposed as a tunnel for dogs to play in and repainted in the colours of the rainbow. Ellen Knight/BBC
Holly Lowe is worried the closure will mean people will not bother taking their pets to "doggy daycare"

Nearby is Haleswood Pet Hotel, which hosts dogs and cats while owners are on holiday - and also offers a "doggy daycare" service for when owners are at work.

Holly Lowe, who runs the site with her family, said the earlier closure in October 2025 meant "we did lose a lot of our business".

The diversion, she said, meant "people just don't have time in their day to be bringing their dogs to us anymore".

"The last closure, which was only a couple of weeks in the winter, we lost maybe 25 to 30% of our doggy daycare regulars," she explained.

"Some of those customers never really did come back," she continued, noting "that was in our quieter time, and this is our busier season".

A closure in the summer meant the business could lose "a much higher percentage" of customers, she said.

Ellen Knight/BBC Stuart and Sarah photographed in front of a sign for their business. Stuart is wearing a grey quarter zip jumper, and Sarah is wearing a blue floral fleece over a pink t-shirt. The sign behind them is purple, and reads "Rodington Secure Dog Park" in dark blue letters. It has a logo with the silhouette of a dog against a blue and orange background. Ellen Knight/BBC
Stuart and Sarah Lloyd run Rodington Secure Dog Park, near the closed bridge

In nearby Rodington, Sarah and Stuart Lloyd say they face similar problems.

Their dog park allows dog owners to let their pets run free in a secure environment.

But business took a hit during the last closure, with customers missing bookings due to heavy traffic on diversions.

"It could be a bit disastrous really," Sarah Lloyd suggested of the latest measure.

She is concerned that "new people might think 'oh I'm not going to bother doing that, I'm not going to sit in traffic'."

The school holidays are usually the park's busiest time, she added, noting that "ten weeks is a long time - that's the whole of the summer".

A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin Council said that while the closure was necessary for "essential repairs", the authority was also "taking the opportunity to resurface the road and install a new signal-controlled pedestrian crossing, delivering long-term safety improvements for the community".

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