A BUSINESSMAN has called for a council to compensate shop owners who have lost trade because of lengthy roadworks.

Jason Hadlow, of specialist furniture store Simply Dutch, in Leeming Bar, says he has lost £27,000 over a three-month period because of the work.

It started in September last year and has seen a mini-roundabout installed at the Leases Road junction and the road through the village widened and resurfaced. Temporary four-way traffic lights were in operation while the work was carried out.

The improvements to the road, which is the main route between Northallerton and Bedale, were conditions of the planning approval for a Hambleton District Council scheme to expand Leeming Bar industrial estate.

Mr Hadlow says the council should now compensate business people in Leeming Bar for the trade they have lost since the roadworks started.

He said: "People see a traffic jam and they just turn around and go away again. We were almost totally cut off on one weekend, the only two days of the week when we actually take any money.

"Maintaining access at all times has been impossible, and therefore our trade was non-existent.

"The whole event was a total farce, with queues of traffic for miles in each direction, frequent road closures and total disruption to the surrounding area.

"Local people who actually made it into the shop commented that they were inconvenienced to a greater extent than when the Swale burst its banks."

Steve Quartermain, district council director of planning and environment, said: "We have met with the businesses. The road has never been closed and we have acknowledged that there have been delays.

"If there are grounds for compensation, they can provide us with evidence of their claim. On that, the ball is in their court. We have an ongoing dialogue here."

The new mini-roundabout will now have to be resurfaced as defective material was used when it was installed.

A Yorkshire County Council spokesman said it was liaising with the district council and the work would be carried out at night to reduce the impact on the area.