“It feels like we’ve been forgotten” - Derbyshire business owners raise concerns over impact of A-road closure
Business owners have shared their concerns over the closure of a busy A-road in Derbyshire – with one restaurant owner urging customers to continue their support amid a spate of cancelled bookings.
Severn Trent Water closed the A632 Chesterfield Road at Duckmanton on Monday, October 13 – with works underway to repair a water pipe facing persistent leaks.
The west section of the A632 Chesterfield Road is currently shut, and will remain closed for three to four weeks. After this, the closure will be moved to the east section of the busy route, until the completion of the project in mid-December.
Sree Balachandran, the owner of Alleppey Kitchen at the Castle Arms, and Mathew Smith, manager of The Van Yard on Chesterfield Road, have stressed that they remain open despite the road closure - and raised concerns over the impact of the works on their respective businesses.
Sree said he felt the closure signs put in place had given the impression that his business, located on Station Road, cannot be accessed while the roadworks are underway. He said that customers had already cancelled bookings due to the ongoing works - and expressed fears that this would continue into the crucial Christmas period.
He said: “The timing of this couldn’t be worse. After a tough summer, local pubs, restaurants, cafés, and shops — including us and our friends at The Arkwright Arms — now face another huge setback just as we head into the crucial winter and Christmas period.
“Despite the ‘road closed’ signs, the road is open with partial access, but the signs and diversions have already led to customer cancellations, lost bookings, and plummeting footfall. For many of us, this isn’t about profits — it’s about survival, paying bills, keeping jobs and keeping the lights on.”
Sree added that, while he appreciated that infrastructure works were necessary, he felt the closure of the A632 had not been planned effectively - and called for consultation with local businesses ahead of such major projects.
He said: “We understand the need for infrastructure work, but where is the planning, consultation, or support for local businesses? Who takes responsibility when small, hard-working, community businesses collapse under the weight of decisions like this?
“We’ve invested our hearts, savings, and energy into building something for our community — and it feels like we’ve been forgotten. Please, do the right thing - improve signage to say ‘businesses open as usual’, speed up completion or provide weekend access, and offer rate relief or compensation to affected businesses.
“We love our community and our customers — and we’re asking you to stand with us. Let’s make sure small businesses in Bolsover and Arkwright aren’t left behind this Christmas.”
Christina Massey, Community Communications Officer for Severn Trent, said: “We’re investing £1.5m to replace 750m of pipework along the A632 Chesterfield Road, boosting the resilience of the local water network and reducing the risk of emergency repairs in future.
“We know this work is causing disruption, especially for those accessing essential services, and we’re grateful for everyone’s patience. Safety is our top priority, and we’re working closely with the council to manage traffic and signage — including keeping Staveley Road open and completing the work in phases to ease local impact.
“We would like to remind everyone that no businesses are closed due to our work, but we are offering support for local businesses like the Arkwright Arms through our Business Loss scheme and we’re offering taxi reimbursements for anyone who lives within the closure areas so they can connect to an operating bus service.
“We’re listening to feedback and making changes — including clearer signage, direct contact points, and regular progress updates on local social channels. We’re committed to keeping disruption to a minimum and supporting the community every step of the way.”