Cones have been cleared but workers make finishing touches

Essential sewer replacement work has been carried out on the A5 for the past six weeks.

On Wednesday the road was reopened and motorists were able to travel freely throughout the tourist town.

However, traders calculate that they have collectively lost up to �1m since the roadblocks were first put in place.

Welsh Water say the work which has completely closed the A5 for two weeks and reduced it for another four was necessary to stop homes flooding.

Gill Denham: The town has been quiet

Stuart Davies has a computer business in the town and is a former mayor of Llangollen, he said people have told him their trade is improving already.

"Talking to people in Castle Street the takings have doubled and tripled already in the space of a day," he said.

"As a town we've lost between �500,000 and �1m of business.

"It's been worse than foot and mouth - at least with foot and mouth we got compensation," he added.

Christina Bell runs Paws 4 Bears in the town, she says her trade has suffered as a direct result of the roadworks.

"My trade has gone down by at least 80%. Up to last weekend I've lost �3,500 and I can't afford to do that I'm a new business, it's been hard," she said.

"People haven't been coming into town because there isn't enough parking but people thought Llangollen was shut and it's not good enough."

Traffic cones had been put up throughout Llangollen

She said since the road reopened on Wednesday the number of cars travelling through the town has doubled but her business remains quiet.

Gill Denham owns Solitaire jewellers in Llangollen and admits her shop "is a lot quieter than normal".

"We should find a difference this weekend, Easter is our busiest time," she added.

Shoppers in the town agreed that Llangollen was busier than it had been for a number of weeks.

Ms Bell added: "People haven't been coming into town because there isn't enough parking but people thought Llangollen was shut and it's not good enough."

Denbighshire County Council has thanked local people for their co-operation during the works.