A cheese shop worker in Ashbourne has revealed her business has experienced sales drops of up to 50 per cent as construction barriers transform the town centre into what customers describe as “a maze”.
Isabel Holden, who works at Cheddar Gorge, explained that Saturday takings have plummeted by half compared to the previous year, with some weekdays showing 15 per cent declines.
“A lot of our tourists and customers come in because they see the cakes, but unfortunately, due to the barriers, you just can’t see them as well,” she said.
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Local traders report that the extensive disruption has created such severe access problems that some establishments are generating as little as £10 in daily revenue
The construction obstacles have created such confusion that visitors struggle to locate shops and cannot find their way back out.
“It feels like we’re locked into a pen,” Holden added.
The Derbyshire market town, situated at the Peak District’s edge and renowned as one of Britain’s “Seven Wonders”, has transformed from a bustling tourist destination into an eerily deserted construction site.
Construction work that began in March has left the town centre dominated by orange barriers, heavy machinery and road closure signs, deterring both vehicle access and pedestrian visitors.
The normally vibrant summer atmosphere, characterised by children playing and families strolling through the historic streets, has been replaced by an empty town centre struggling to attract tourists.
Local traders report that the extensive disruption has created such severe access problems that some establishments are generating as little as £10 in daily revenue, forcing several to permanently shut their doors.
The disruption stems from the £15million Ashbourne Reborn initiative, which seeks to create wider pavements whilst reducing road space throughout the town centre.
However, the project’s execution has created unintended chaos, with multiple streets remaining inaccessible since March and construction scheduled to continue until October, well beyond the peak tourist period.
The extensive works have effectively blocked the town’s picturesque winding streets, creating a barrier-filled environment that actively discourages visitors from exploring the area.
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The roadworks mean that footfall has fallen
Holden added: “They’ve said they knew this would cause disruption, but that businesses are ‘onside’ because of the long-term benefits.
“I know it’s meant to improve the town and will look a lot nicer when it’s done but as a small independent business, I’d like to see some sort of compensation for the roadworks.
“It began in January and is due to finish in November that’s almost 12 months of lost trade. I don’t think asking for some help to fill that gap is unreasonable.”
