THE owners of a family-run store have been forced to use £13,000 in savings to plug financial holes as their business is impacted by a five-month road closure.

Jackie and Manjit Bains, owners of the Brompton Convenience Store on Northallerton Road in Brompton, North Yorkshire, said they were trying to manage after a drastic fall in passing-trade.

In November, North Yorkshire County Council announced it would allow developers, Taylor Wimpey, to close a part of the road, whilst construction continued.

The road was due to re-open in mid-January, but a series of construction delays, pushed this date back to March, 17.

Mrs Bains said she had only planned for a two-month closure, but the further extension granted in January by the council, placed doubt over whether she could continue to trade.

In a last ditch effort to plug a growing financial gap, Ms Baines said the couple’s decision to use the last of their savings, was their last hope.

Mrs Bains said: “It is just unbelievable really – we have used the last of our savings to stock the shop. That’s around £13,000."

She said the council's decision not to keep the road partially open with a temporary traffic light system, had prevented passing-trade of those travelling between Northallerton and Darlington.

She said: “Between 12.45pm and 2.45pm, we had six customers – we would normally have 40 customers in half an hour from passing trade.”

Developers Taylor Wimpey are building their multi-million pound Thurstan Park housing estate in the village, which is due to be completed in 2020.

Mrs Bains, who employed three part-time staff, said one member left just weeks after she admitted she “could not guarantee” their jobs.

She added: “We have two staff members left – we had three, but one of them just left last week – we have to keep them employed but we don’t need them, but we’re holding out in case we recover.”

In February, Allan McVeigh of North Yorkshire County Council said: “We have every sympathy with the shop owner and others affected by the closure.

"The road is currently completely excavated, so it is not possible to consider a partial reopening of the road because of health and safety considerations – we are continuing to work with the developer to get the road reopened as quickly as possible once it is safe to do so.’’

When concerns were first raised, a spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said: “We make every effort to minimise disruption in the communities in which we build, however, in the interest of public health and safety, infrequent road closures are necessary – the closure has been extended until mid-March and contractors are on schedule to complete the works within the revised timeframe.”

Mrs Bains added: “I said to Manjit, how are we going to build up our £13,000 back up – you just try every day to look for money. I don’t want to debt myself up.”

She added: “Everybody is moaning about these road works and asking us about it.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council said the road was scheduled to reopen on Monday, March 18.