A YARM businessman is annoyed that cobble repair work at the High Street is behind schedule and, he says, is costing him trade.

He claims the scheme has been particularly slow because contractors work short hours and Stockton Council was reluctant to undertake the repairs.

The council says it faced unforeseen difficulties.

Terry Johnson, owner of The Locker Room, told the D&S Times that the repair work by Stockton Council was running four weeks late.

A letter from Stockton Council in February told businesses the repair work would last eight weeks, but it was already 12.

"Working at this rate, it would take the men at least ten years to do the whole of the High Street!"

Speaking about the impact of the repairs on trade at the southern end of the High Street, he said: "I've had the worst three-month period since I came here eight years ago. I'm loosing £150 to £200 per week. It's having a big effect."

Mr Johnson pays £170 per month in business rates. "I've received a £30 reduction in my business rates, which worked out at £10 per month. The compensation officer who visited me was a very polite chap, but he said that was the best the council could do."

He also claimed the cobble crew's working hours appeared to be very odd.

"They never work after 3pm in the afternoon and rarely work on Fridays. If they'd been working from 8am to 4-or-5pm, the work would have been finished weeks ago. The delays have also been blamed on holidays and sickness.

"I think there is a political reason behind this approach. Stockton Council didn't want to repair the cobbles at all. It wanted to replace them with a modern equivalent. I'm sure it's all political. I hope the town council pursues this.

"Another problem is that another stretch of cobbles that was re-laid last year is now breaking up.

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