Billericay road works could affect evening trade (From Basildon Recorder)

Billericay road works could affect evening trade

12:30pm Monday 28th January 2013 in News By Luke Lambert

A CENTRAL Billericay road is scheduled to be re-surfaced in the next few weeks, with concerns of the effect it will have on night-time trade.

Billericay High Street will be re-surfaced, after years of campaigning from councillors, with the road being shut between Sun Street and Radford Way between Monday, February 4 and Wednesday, February 6.

The road will be closed between 8pm and 5am for three nights, weather permitting, and road users will be diverted down the nearby A129 Mountnessing Road and Radford Way.

Antonio Viscariello, is the manager of La Toscana restaurant in the High Street and he said he had no idea the works were planned.

“It will certainly affect us. We need to park and our customers need to park as well and they travel from Basildon, Brentwood and other areas. If there are large machines outside then people won’t want to sit and have a meal as it will be so loud so that will ruin our passing trade."

The manager of Chimichanga in the High Street said he didn’t feel the plans would affect trade too much.

“To be honest if the works had to be done this is the time. The start of the week is always a bit quieter for us and we have the majority of our bookings before 8 o’clock. Hopefully it won’t affect us but you never know.”

Tony Hedley, Essex County Councillor and Billericay District councillor, says the news is excellent for Billericay as the roads had taken a real battering after the snow struck last week.

“This is extremely positive. If some restaurants are concerned about trade it will only be for a very short period so short cause minimal disruption. There will still be parking access available so I would hope it doesn’t put off customers. Billericay’s night-life is crucial to the town’s success so I am sure it will continue to get the support it needs.”