Traders 'losing money' because of resort revamp

Businesses in Cleethorpes say they are losing money because of regeneration work taking place in the town.

Traders on Alexandra Road said the closure of Pier Gardens has meant a drop in footfall as people are no longer able to walk through the park to the street. They have launched a petition, calling on North East Lincolnshire Council to create a cut through.

The £7.9m revamp is part of a wider £18.4m regeneration scheme and the authority said it would respond to the traders directly in the coming days.

Karen Webb-Meek, who owns Dollie Jewellery, said: "I don't think the council fully understood the negative impact closing the entire gardens would have on the businesses here."

Fencing has been installed around the gardens, along the pathways from Central Promenade and along Alexandra Road.

Webb-Meek added: "They've created a massive barrier and penned in all the holidaymakers on to the prom.

"We want them to create a cut through and, if they can't do that quickly, we want financial compensation for the loss we've incurred through the loss of business."

During a recent council meeting, one councillor asked whether financial compensation would be available to businesses impacted by a loss of income.

The authority said compensation would not be available but there would be council signage to advertise businesses remaining open.

Jonathan Rowbotham, who owns Lilly's Little Gem Cafe, said: "We're losing trade. They could have done the work in sections and now we don't have the walk-in trade.

"If they could make some type of walkway from the front to Alexandra Road, that would be more acceptable."

Lisa-Marie Robinson, who opened LM Art Gallery in November, added: "It's a long distance round for people coming from Central Prom and then there's also the dirt as well.

"The council shouldn't have done the work in the first place. They should have just done the gardens up and made it a nice picnic area."

The project is one of three in the town being funded by the government. The others are the Sea Road development and Market Place. All the projects are scheduled to be completed in 2027.

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