BUSINESS owners in a Ryedale village are furious after claims that road closures are damaging their trade.

The eight-week closure of the Malton to Kirkbymoorside road, which runs from the A170 at Keldhome to the B1275 at Amotherby, has left Marton, Normanby, Great Barugh and Amotherby cut off since the closure began on Monday, January 27.

The road was closed for a new drainage system to be installed along Barugh Lane, in Great Barugh. But despite the road being open weekdays, from 4pm to 8am, as well as at weekends, villages with pubs, which rely on passing trade, say that the signs are not clear enough and they have been losing trade.

Ian Boyington, owner of The Golden Lion, in Great Barugh, said he relies a lot on passing trade, but has definitely seen a fall in business since the closure came in to place.

“Although we have a number of regular customers, we rely a lot on passing trade and that has been affected. We have definitely noticed a fall in traffic,” he said.

“For people who are just driving through and do not know the area, they think the road is closed.

“The signs indicate that the road is closed totally for eight weeks when in fact the closure is only in place between 8am and 4pm weekdays.”

Ian said that although the signs are meant to be removed at night, they often are not, resulting in people believing that the road is still closed and doing uturns back along the lengthy diversion route.

He said: “I asked for more informative signs but they don’t have to put signs up at all if they don’t want.

“My wife and I, as owners of The Golden Lion, find it incredible that this attitude was taken. I think it could have been signed a lot better.”

North Yorkshire County Council has put up a diversion while the works take place during the day and full details of the works and the diversion route can be found on the council’s website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/article/28390/Road-closure-fordrainage-scheme