Pub landlords fear trade will plummet after it emerged a busy road will shut for repairs throughout all of summer.
Publicans believe customer numbers will be severely slashed when roadworks close Newtown Road, Ashford, for six weeks.
Connecting South Willesborough to the town centre, the stretch will be out-of-bounds from July 22 until September 5 while electrical cables are laid.
Donna Popman, who took over The Albion pub in February 2020, insists the closure could not have happened at a worse time.
When asked how she thought it would affect her inn’s footfall, the South Willesborough landlady replied: “We are worried.
“It’s challenging times as it is – let alone facing another obstacle to overcome.
“So it is something which is definitely going to affect us.
“It doesn’t help us it’s closing during the school holidays as it’s during the summer.
“There are still ways to access the pub, but that road is the main route to us.
“I can’t give a ballpark figure as to how much it will affect us, but I anticipate it will have a substantial effect.”
It’s not the first time the route has shut for a significant length of time.
It underwent multiple week and month-long closures when the adjacent Ashford Designer Outlet had its multi-million pound extension in 2019.
Fellow tavern owner Gary Taylor has predicted how much his business, the Alfred Arms in New Town Green, will suffer following the latest shutdown.
The 54-year-old believes the pub could lose up to 40% in custom.
He explained: “It’s our biggest time for trade.
“Last time, the road was shut for a year when work on the outlet was going on.
“So we had to cope with that for such a long time, plus others too and now this one.
“Some customers don’t want to go in taxis either all around town.
“We have a lot of trade from South Ashford so them getting taxis over will affect us.
“So I reckon trade will go down around 40% while the road shuts.
“There’s not a lot we can do about it – if customers want to come they will come and we just have to suffer again like we did before.”
Mr Taylor, who has run the Alfred Arms for seven years, argues dialogue between businesses and those carrying out the closure has not been good enough.
“We have had no letters or information at all about the closure.
“These people don’t seem to think of places like us.
“So it would have been nice for us to be communicated to as business owners but they didn’t.”
UK Power Networks (UKPN) adds diversions will be sign-posted once work to install the cables begins.
A spokesperson for the network operator explained: “For safety reasons, a road closure will be in place on a 70-metre section of Newtown Road – either side of the railway bridge.
“Access will not be possible within the road closure, which does not include any access or exit routes.
“Advance warning signs are in place and we have contacted customers by letter.
“We apologise for any disruption caused by our roadworks and will complete the work as quickly as possible.”
Neighbours, though, have also aired their frustration with the closure.
One resident declared he will now have to drive “round the moon to meet the sun”.
Speaking online, another added: “People have had to suffer this road closure more than once so trust me when I say all complaints are wholly justified.”
Meanwhile, a similar closure is to hit the edge of the town centre during the same period.
Canterbury Road (A2042) will close for 11 days from July 15.
A spokeperson for UKPN said: “A road closure will be in place on the A2042 Canterbury Road, Ashford, near Heathfield Road, from July 15 to 26, while we provide a connection to the electricity network.
“This work has been coordinated through the local highways authority and diversions will be signposted. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”