RISING ANGER
Baker done out of dough by roadworks nightmare
A GOLD COAST baker has been forced to cut back on staff because roadworks in front of his Bundall Rd shop are making it impossible to earn a crust.
Horner’s of Sorrento owner Rob Horner said he was told the work would last just two-and-a-half weeks.
Instead, the works have been ongoing for five weeks and Transport and Main Roads are unable to name a date for their completion. “It’s a nightmare,” Mr Horner said.
A BAKER has slashed staff hours and lost 30 per cent of his trade due to roadworks outside his Bundall Rd shop.
Horner’s of Sorrento owner Rob Horner said he was told by project workers that the construction outside his bakery near the Ashmore Rd intersection would last two-and-a-half weeks.
But the work is still in progress five weeks later and Transport and Main Roads are unable to say when it will be completed, leading Mr Horner to take drastic action.
“I’ve got 13 employees here. They’re all having to get their hours cut back because of the length of time this is taking,” he said.
“You can’t pull in on Bundall Road ... they’ve done away with all our carparking out the front, the bus stop as well – that’s been moved so we don’t get people coming to the shopping centre anymore.
“Deliveries have to travel 100, 150m from the carpark to get to my shop – we’re talking about a tonne of flour and that sort of stuff ... it’s a nightmare.”
The 53-year-old said his family business – which has operated at Sorrento since 1978 – had not struggled this much since the last Bundall Rd upand grades in 2001 shortly after the introduction of GST.
“The tradies have been great, they’ve supported us,” he said.
“They say ‘you’ve got the best pies on the Coast’, they tell us that all the time.
“We still get the diehard customers that will fight tooth nail to get to our bakery.”
The small business operator said the Department of Transport initially did a good job in keeping locals informed.
“When it first started, we were told in two-and-a-half weeks they were going to have it all sealed,” he said.
“They’ve prepared it all and nothing else has happened for the last couple of weeks now.
“We haven’t had very good consultation from Main Roads. Initially it was great when they were doing the other section.
“Now that it’s got to the difficult section ... including the bridge and up to Fremar St, there’s been really poor contact from them.”
A Transport and Main Roads spokesman said the government had not released a completion date for the Sorrento section of the project but said the Southport-Burleigh Rd “central” upgrade should be finished by the end of the year.
He said the department had done “everything possible” to minimise disruption to businesses and residents.
“Before the western lanes were closed for construction, shop owners at Sorrento Shopping Village were consulted and given the information in regards to the works,” he said.
“There are currently no delays being experienced on the work being carried out.”