SHOPKEEPERS fear they will have to axe jobs after overrunning sewer works cost them more than £250,000.

Restaurants and shops in the Station Square area of Petts Wood have been losing thousands of pounds a week since nearby Tudor Way was closed at the end of July.

The business owners pictured are collectively down about £25,000 per week and hoped the situation would improve once the road reopened this month.

But they have now been told the sewer replacement work is not finished and the road will remain closed for at least another four weeks.

They fear this setback, along with the impending start of work in Crossways, St Johns Road, Willet Way, Birchwood Road and Hazelmere Road, will be disastrous.

If the problems continue, they will have to cut jobs and eventually close.

Petts Wood Business Association chairman John Charsley said: "We are concerned Thames Water has not kept to the schedule. It is causing a loss of business."

Trenchermans Brasserie owner Cierra Miller said: "I have lost thousands and I'm starting to think soon I won't have a business.

"I was expecting them to be finished in another week and now it might not be finished for a month."

Le Gourmet owner Emma van Houwelingen said: "Two shops have already gone.

"If it continues like this I will be laying off staff."

Alna-Vi shoe shop owner Nilesh Parmar believed the work would be finished before he opened his shop last Saturday.

Mr Parmar said: "It is a serious killer for us.

"Can Thames Water help pay for advertising and promote the area?

"It is very difficult to build up a business."

With Best Wishes card shop owner Prakash Shah said: "Thames Water will never appreciate it is at fault.

"It should have come to us before the works were happening but that consultation never happened to my knowledge."

Portfolio holder for environment and leisure Councillor Colin Smith said: "The council is sick to death with the delays being experienced due to overrunning utility works.

"Tudor Way is a classic example and is totally unacceptable."

A Thames Water spokesman said: "We discovered Tudor Way was a reinforced road and had to break through this. We are sorry it is taking longer than it should.

"We have made ourselves available to traders to discuss concerns and will be out of Tudor Way by the middle of November."

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