Town improvement works 'killing our livelihood'

26 July 2024

Harriet HeywoodBBC News, Cambridgeshire

News image — The diggers are out in the centre of St Neots, to give the Market Square a revamp

Seb Noble/BBC St Neots Market Square being razed by diggers, with all the paving taken up and skips full of waste — The diggers are out in the centre of St Neots, to give the Market Square a revamp

"We survived Covid, the cost-of-living, raised electricity bills... but renovations are killing our livelihood," said a tearoom owner, whose business has been blighted by town centre revamp works.

The multimillion-pound renovation of Market Square in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, began in January and will not be completed until next year.

Sue Noades, co-owner of Betty Bumbles, said noise from machinery, a lack of parking and her business being blocked from view had deterred many visitors.

She is one of more than 700 people who have signed a petition demanding compensation. The local council said it had allocated a Shop Front Grant Scheme worth £50,000 to support affected businesses.

Seb Noble/BBC Sue Noades, with long brown hair, glasses and a multicoloured top in front of vintage ornaments — Sue Noades said "people don't want to come to St Neots"

Ms Noades said giant metal barriers blocking her tearoom meant visitors simply could not see it.

"People don't want to come to St Neots, and if they do, they see the mess and they're not likely to come back again," she said.

"Our outside seating that we have, which is one of our biggest income earners each year, we haven't got because it literally is just a building site, so we've lost a huge amount of revenue from that.

"We are not denying the potential long-term rewards of an enhanced Market Square, but without immediate assistance, our livelihoods could suffer irreversibly.

"It's time the council takes our economic plight seriously."

Google The outside of Betty Bumbles Vintage Tea Rooms — Money for the £15m renovation came from a combination of government, local council and National Highways funding

Sam Wakeford, the executive councillor for economy, regeneration and housing at Huntingdonshire District Council, said the Market Square works would deliver "a fantastic new public realm space, as part of further improvement works around the town centre".

He added: "We have engaged with local businesses at all stages of the works to date, and adjusted plans as a result of their input.

"The works remain on track for completion within the original timescale, but as with any project of this size, there will be some level of disruption which we are trying to minimise as much as possible."

The council added it had "ensured the owner of Betty Bumbles is aware of normal support that could be available, such as reapplying for a temporary reduction in business rates".