Towns facing ‘disaster’ as roads closed

A NUMBER of towns in West Wales are facing a “disaster” as they emerge from lockdown due to a number of streets being closed off in an attempt to enforce social distancing.

Ceredigion Council has introduced “safe zones” in Aberystwyth, Cardigan, New Quay and Aberaeron. This means that a number of streets are closed to vehicles between 11am and 6pm every day, while some are closed 24 hours a day.

While deliveries made by official delivery vans and small lorries are permitted, all other vehicles are not, putting an end to on-street parking in many town centre areas.

While “safe zones” are intended to make these town centres more welcoming and ultimately safer for shoppers living under two-metre socialdistancing guidelines, many business owners have criticised the move as it has resulted in, they claim, a reduction in trade compared to what they would have hoped for during the dawn of the post-lockdown age.

And one resident in Cardigan said the changes represented an “absolute disaster” for the town’s traders.

Trudi Thomas, who runs Creme Pen Cei, in New Quay, said she could see why the council had implemented the road closures, but feared it would have an impact on trade in the town.

However, in Aberystwyth, one shopper posted on a town centre Facebook group that she managed to park without any problems, while another said the town centre appeared “a lot safer and more inviting”.

But Fay Yeomans, who owns Fay’s Boutique Bakery in the town’s Market Hall, believes the positive feedback was mainly coming from people who did not run businesses themselves, and therefore were unable to comprehend the harsh reality of lost trade.

She is not best pleased with the idea of closing off the town or the fact that she didn’t find out about it until last Friday.

“It’s quite a big change for the town and I don’t think it was fair on business owners (to find out so late). It’s certainly put a question mark over my business.”

Ceredigion Council has been asked to comment.