Pub 'cut off' by road works

For the landlord of the Harpers Inn, Fence, says hardly a couple of months go by before workmen dig up his lane -- and cut him off from his customers.

Ken reckons constant closures of Harpers Lane, which links Wheatley Lane and Noggarth Road, has cost him over £35,000 in lost trade over the last couple of years and he has never received a penny in compensation.

And he is braced for another financial bashing after receiving news that the road will be closed again next week for British Telecomm work.

This comes just weeks after traffic light restrictions were placed outside the pub as county council workmen dug up drains. Said Ken: "I really blew my top this time. I rang BT and asked if they were pulling my leg or trying to close me down. I was just told it was essential work and it had to be done.

"I don't know of any other road like it. It's ridiculous. I think they all come here when they are short of something to do." In the worst spate of closures two years' ago, Harpers Lane was closed for five weeks while North West Water installed a mains extension. A month later it was closed for two weeks as British Telecom carried out work.

And four weeks later the lane closed again when the drains men returned.

Said Ken: "The disruption cost me £30,000 and my solicitor was told I would not be compensated because the work had to be done."

"It has been a nightmare."

Lancashire County Council has promised to keep access open to properties on the road, but Mr Barlow says drivers tend to notice only the large sign warning that Harpers Lane is closed and do not notice the smaller signs about access.

A county spokesman said that during this week's closure, which runs until 3.30pm on Sunday, bus services 205, 206, and 207 will operate via Wheatley Lane North, St Annes Way, Noggarth Road, Spenbrook Road, then as normal to Barley and Clitheroe.

A BT spokesman said the work involved laying 80metres of cable to improve the quality of local telephone services.