Footbridge closure 'devastating' for traders

Business owners in a suburb in Derby have said the closure of a temporary footbridge for a further 12 months will have a "devastating impact" on them.

The bridge, known as Walter's Walkway, links Darley Abbey to a former mill complex which now accommodates a range of traders.

It was installed over the original bridge due to safety concerns in October 2022 at a reported cost of £300,000.

However the temporary bridge was closed on 12 December 2025 after concerns were raised about erosion of the riverbank.

City council bosses then announced earlier this month it will stay closed until February 2027 to allow the original bridge - which it does not own - to be demolished.

Kieron Atkinson, owner of English Wine Project, said: "It's going to be a tough year - but for some of the others here, I'm not sure how they will get through."

In December, the council said erosion had progressed and there was evidence the bank on the Old Lane side of the river had been undercut.

Funding is being sought from East Midlands Combined County Authority to carry out the demolition of the original bridge and associated works in replacing it.

Business owners have said people trying to access the mills from the Darley Abbey side of the River Derwent now face a walk of up to an hour instead of a few minutes on foot.

Atkinson, who has run his business in the mills since 2020, said he was having to change how he operated to become more of a "destination and events-based business" in order to mitigate the closure of the footbridge.

"We've lost all of our footfall, we've already had a coffee shop go out of business in the mills," he said.

"We've gone from 100 customers a day to 10 and those 10 probably didn't even know there was a bridge there anyway.

"Basically, Darley Abbey Mills, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site, has become an island.

"The closure is having a devastating effect on businesses - we're now a tricky place to get to so our market has been cut off.

"With that change to the business, I can probably make it through the next 12 months but it's going to be a tough year but for some of the others here, I'm not sure how they will get through."

Wendy Mackney, who runs two businesses in the mills said the issue was exacerbated further when Haslams Lane - the one entry and exit now available - was closed off due to heavy rainfall.

She said since the closure, trade dropped by "60% overnight" and she had been forced to close two days in the week as well as losing some employees.

"It's the one bridge that connects us to Darley Abbey village and to the residents on the other side," she said.

"Without that bridge, what should be a five, 10-minute walk becomes a one-hour route one way so we've lost a lot of our day trade.

"We rely on a lot of dog walkers, passing trade more generally and that bridge is a lifeline for us.

"All we've been asking as a business [of the council] is what's been happening over the last few years while the temporary bridge has been up."

Derby City Council said it would be working alongside businesses affected but added "public safety is our absolute priority and must come first".

Councillor Carmel Swan said: "We have been working hard to develop suitable proposals and secure the funding that is needed at this stage.

"There is a process to follow, and several financial and legal challenges to overcome, but we will continue to push on with these proposals and restore permanent access for our residents and the wider community.

"While the original bridge is not a council asset, we are fully committed to delivering a new permanent bridge for Darley.

"This will involve the council seeking to take official ownership and all the risks associated with ownership of the old bridge, subject to a cabinet decision in March."

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