Transport for London (TfL) confirmed on Wednesday (August 27) that the Gallows Corner project would be delayed, pushing the junction’s closure back beyond September.
The Recorder previously spoke to business owners in July – just more than a week into the shutdown – when shops and MOT centres were already reporting “uncertainty” and a hit to their revenue.
Almost two months later, and with no completion date confirmed, small businesses are questioning how they will “survive”.
Terry Blackman and her team Joe, Maddie, Katie, Julie and Ali (Image: Terry Blackman)
Terry Blackman, owner of Terry’s Barbers and Hairdressers in Masefield Crescent, said the delay is the “worst news we could have had”.
She told the Recorder: “It’s been awful.
“From Farringdon Avenue down to Straight Road should be bus access only, which is limiting any passing trade that we would normally have.
“We do have our regulars who make a big effort to come, but it’s not good coming up to winter.
“With the children going back to school it’s just going to be absolute mayhem.”
READ MORE: Everything we know about the Gallows Corner works delay
Terry said the closure has “definitely” had an impact on income and called for compensation for all businesses affected.
“All the shops in this parade are suffering and it’s just such a shame,” Terry said.
“We’ve just recovered from Covid and this is another major setback for our company.
“I just don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s really worrying.
“Will we survive it?”
Chariots Fish & Chips owner Kem Hassan also spoke in terms of survival, saying his restaurant has been “affected badly” by the Gallows Corner closure.
He told this paper: “It’s just affected everything. It’s not fair on the businesses.
“We’re not happy – but to be honest we were expecting that [the delay].
“Hopefully we can survive and get our customers back and work as usual.”
Kem added that other small businesses near Chariots in Upper Brentwood Road, such as a cafe and a sweet shop, have also been impacted.
It is not only small businesses that have been affected: we spoke to the shift manager at KFC in Straight Road, who said the works have caused “big damage”.
Mohsin Hafeez said “half” their sales have gone and some staff at the branch “don’t get hours” because there are not enough sales.
Scott Haxton, TfL’s director of capital delivery, said in a statement that the delay has been caused by “unforeseeable problems” associated with the water main replacement.
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He previously told the Recorder: “We’re working closely with Essex & Suffolk Water to complete the renewal of both vital pieces of infrastructure and minimise the impacts of the delay.
“We are very sorry for the disruption caused to local residents and businesses.”
A spokesperson for Essex and Suffolk Water added: “We continue to work very closely with TfL to ensure our programmes remain aligned through the remainder of the works on both infrastructure projects.
“We are sorry for the inconvenience.”
