BUSINESS owners say the planned closure of a major route into Kendal over two weekends in May was 'too much too soon' in the wake of the floods.

The Shenstone interchange is to shut to allow Cumbria County Council Highways carry out £400,000 of maintenance works.

There are fears among the business community that beyond the loss of custom over the two weekends, businesses will suffer long into the future.

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Jacqueline Ward, owner of Armstrong Ward, believes this is just the latest obstacle stopping the town from making a full recovery from the December Floods.

"I'm a bit concerned really that on top of the floods and the bridge works, the Romney Road works, and the Parkside Road works, the timing is really off and I don't think it's allowing the town to get back on its feet," she said.

"As a business owner I just struggle with the mindset. Whoever is involved in the decision making process is carrying on regardless of the effect on businesses and I feel absolutely powerless."

Mrs Ward expects to see footfall and trade to suffer during the weekends of the closure, but fears there may also be lasting consequences.

"It's also the knock on effect, the perception of the town after the time we've had," she said. "It's been five months of disruptions.

"It will have a much longer and wider affect than just those two weekends.

"The town just wants to get back on its feet and this is not helping."

Daniel Morley, the manager of Kendal Business Improvement District (BID), has echoed this sentiment in a letter sent to the council. He said it was 'too much too soon' for businesses to contend with in the wake of the floods.

"A good number of businesses have still not recovered, some have not reopened and others are finding it difficult to get the footfall they need to recover.," he said.

"We appreciate that contractors have been contracted but surely we could look at doing work over four nights and not two full weekends?

"This may incur extra costs to highways but the true cost of not considering this option will be on the already struggling businesses of Kendal."

Cllr Keith Little, CCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We are conscious of the impact of these works, that’s why they have been scheduled to take place at weekends to minimise the disruption to the town. The works were planned for the last financial year but were postponed due the floods, since then the road surface has deteriorated further and it is necessary to make repairs and ensure the road is up to standard.”

Resurfacing of the northbound exit slip road, which leads onto the A6 into Kendal, is scheduled to start on Friday and should be completed in time for the morning rush on Monday. The southbound entry slip road, which leads from the A6 out of Kendal, will be resurfaced the following weekend.