'Our high street is a ghost town after sink hole'
BBCBusinesses on a high street are being left in limbo after a sink hole opened up and a date has not yet been set to fix it.
A month after the hole on Victoria Street in Aldershot appeared and business owners say trade is being affected.
Sapan Pradhun from Vintun Restaurant in the town centre likened the one-way street to a ghost town.
Hampshire County Council said it recognises the disruption it is causing; "and we are working closely with the relevant utility companies to resolve the situation as a matter of urgency."
"This is the only street where all the customers, people from all over the place come to Aldershot for shopping and for visits." said Mr Pradhun.
"This is a very busy street but since it has happened this looks like it's a ghost street."
He is not the only restaurant owner effected, Kabir Lama who runs Chautari said he is also feeling the impact.
"There is no footfall of the customers, and it is not so pleasing to look into the town like if the road is blocked.
"The people don't walk around over here so they are not walk in customers and it is affecting our deliveries as well."
Mr Lama said he has seen 50-60% less business on a weekday and a drop in 35-40% on a weekend.
"The sink hole appeared in the middle of the day and the council people covered it. Then it started growing more and more."
A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council, said: "For safety reasons, we have cordoned off a section of Victoria Road in Aldershot after a hole appeared in the road, which has exposed an extremely large void.
"We are currently assessing what has caused this issue so we can effectively reinstate the road surface.
The hole has exposed underground utility infrastructure, including gas pipes, which makes the repair more complex, as these must be fully protected before any work can take place."
