Landlord says roadworks delay threatens his pub

A pub owner says he has no idea how his business is going to survive now roadworks on his doorstep have been extended.

The works at Crown Hill and Church Hill in Ashdon in Essex, which have closed the main road through the village, were expected to be completed in June.

The road has been closed while Affinity Water and Essex Highways carry out essential work. But the timeline to reopen the road has been pushed to 1 August.

"I don't know how long we'll be able to survive with all this going on," said Ian Holt, 62, who owns Rose & Crown.

He said people from outside the village, which is near Saffron Walden, often make up a lot of his custom.

But Holt said his takings had dropped 45% compared with last year because these visitors "cannot get to us".

He explained to BBC Essex presenter Ben Fryer how the roadworks were taking place directly outside the pub "going all the way through to Steventon End.

Lizzie Green is a volunteer at Ashdon Windmill - a heritage visitor attraction.

She said she had had to cancel several fundraising events because "the road closures mean people can't get to us".

"It's been a nightmare," she said.

"We've had ambulances that haven't been able to get through... a fire engine that couldn't get through either."

Retired surveyor Michael Snow, 75, has lived in the area for 25 years and complained the roadworks had been "carried out with a lack of urgency".

A spokesperson for Essex Highways, which is the county council's department, said it did not have the authority to prevent the utility works from taking place.

"We understand residents' frustration," they said.

Affinity Water said the timeframe for the work on Church Hill was extended due to "unforeseen engineering challenges encountered on site" and "challenging ground conditions".

"These works are part of an essential programme to replace ageing water infrastructure and improve the reliability of the local water supply," they added.

"Emergency services are consulted as part of this process, and diversion routes are put in place to maintain access to the area."

They said the wider project for the area, which started in February, was due to run until March 2027.

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