A GOLF club owner said a seven-week long road closure could not have come at a worse time for him and fellow businesses.

Graham Curtin, who owns Carus Green Golf Course, said the closure of Burneside Road for works was an ‘abomination’ and that he had campaigned for the road to be partially open with traffic lights rather than a full closure.

However, a spokesman from Cumbria County Council said it would have been ‘impossible’ to let vehicles through the road ‘whilst storing materials and digging deep trenches for pipework.’

He said the works related to the flood relief scheme for the area, which ‘supports reduction in future flooding to properties, improvements to an existing watercourse and supports development of new houses’.

And he added the scheme was supported by 50 per cent of funding from housing developers Russel Armour and 50 per cent from Cumbria County Council, made up from GIA, DfT and Local Committee funding.

“This is going to affect everyone who lives and works in Burneside,” said Mr Curtin.

“I had my business decimated for the third time in a row in December.

“We had over 100 cancellations on New Year's Eve because of Covid.

“To be told, when you’re at your absolute weakest, the road’s going to be closed for that long - I think it’s an abomination.”

Mr Curtin said the council had ‘done nothing’ to help businesses in the area and the project should have been approached in a different way.

“We really need the county council helping us,” he said.

“I am 100 per cent in favour of this new housing estate.

“But the whole thing is bonkers.

“I feel it would be in everyone’s best interests to approach this project from a different way.”

Cumbria County Council’s spokesman said it had done the ‘most’ it could for affected businesses.

“We agreed to get exclusive signs installed for Carus Golf Course saying open for business as usual - the most we can do for the most affected business,” he said.

“We made big strides to fully open the local road down to Burneside from the A591 (not the diversion route).

“The road was ripped up by the storm that dropped at least five trees damaging and blocking the road.”