BUSINESSES on Bridge Street have seen their profits dive since the building work started in the town centre - with some close to bankruptcy.

Since the renovation work started at the end of September, a number of business have seen their customer numbers drop dramatically.

Shahbaz Ahmed, owner of Bridge Street News and Off Licence, said he has seen a 90 per cent decrease in customers coming through the shop’s door since the building work began.

Mr Ahmed, who has placed a number of posters outside his shop in protest, said: “Business has never been so bad.

“I have gone from having a hundred customers through my door in a day to 10 or 11. There is no passing traffic so it has been a big struggle.

“Builders are moving at such a slow pace that it is going to put us out of business.”

Keith Donlon, co-owner of Fusion, said the building work had pushed him to the verge of bankruptcy.

Mr Donlon, who has been forced to reduce his staffing from 12 workers to two, feels ‘exasperated’ by the situation.

He said: “I took more than £5,000 in the week when Fusion first opened a month ago. Last week, all I took was £250.

“I will also be taking legal advice on this as I spent £4,000 on new carpets, which have now been destroyed as the builders left a swamp outside my door.”

Day manager Mohammed Dar of Chilli Grill said he had never seen the takeaway so quiet.

Mr Dar said: “We have 40 per cent less people coming through our door as people can’t drive down the street to pick up takeaways.

“The council have said they are renovating the road to make it more popular place for people but making the street look nicer isn’t going to do that.”

A council spokesperson said that an ‘extensive consultation’ was undertaken giving the opportunity for businesses to contribute and give feedback on the scheme.

The spokesman continued: “Full access has been maintained to all businesses throughout the scheme, with work being programmed around the various opening times of the affected businesses.

“No road closures or footway closures have been in place during the progress of the scheme.

“Although as with any scheme there will inevitably be some disruption while works are ongoing, access to trade has not been compromised.”