Traders call crisis talks on street closure (From Western Telegraph)

Traders call crisis talks on street closure

THE Top Town traders in Haverfordwest have called a crisis meeting, because of the lack of action over the closure of the town's Market Street.

The road has been blocked off to through traffic since August 26th last year, after Commerce House - at the corner of High Street and Market Street - was declared unsafe. The building has since been shored up by more than five miles of scaffolding.

The meeting will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at 6pm at the Hotel Mariners, Haverfordwest.

Traders in Dew Street and adjoining streets say that the road closure has had a severe impact on their businesses.

"Not only does the scaffolding and hoarding present a physical obstruction, it also creates a psychological one to potential and existing customers," said Steve Hopkins, chairman of Top Town Traders. "Access for emergency vehicles is also severely hampered."

Although the National Assembly Government has given permission for the front part of the building to be demolished, the continued lack of action has frustrated the traders.

"We are fed up with the lack of action and constant wrangling between the county council, the Assembly's planning department and Cadw, so we have convened an open meeting and invited county council director of planning, Roger Barrett-Evans, his delegated officers and AM Tamsin Dunwoody-Kneafsey," said Steve Hopkins. "Market Street must be re-opened to through traffic as a matter of urgency," he added.

"We are exhausted and sickened by the whole affair. We resent that our livelihoods have been catastrophically affected by the knee-jerk reaction of a council department, made fully aware for many years of the pending demise of Commerce House."