The seven-month-long Whinney Lane road closure “could kill” the Squinting Cat pub, says its manager.
Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Andy Harrison said he is “absolutely mortified” that the main road to the pub from Harrogate will be closed for seven months – just as it attempts to recover from lockdown.
North Yorkshire County Council announced that a section of Whinney Lane will be closed to traffic from Monday, July 27 to February 28 2021, due to the construction of two site access points for the Castle Hill Farm housing development as well as a new roundabout.
The closure will end around 200m before the Squinting Cat. Mr Harrison said it will have major implications as most people driving to the pub use Whinney Lane rather than the longer route through Burn Bridge.
He added the road closure will be a major blow after reopening following lockdown on July 6 and questioned whether NYCC could offer the pub financial compensation.
He said:
“We’ve struggled. Trade is hard anyway and with the road closure I don’t know if we can sustain it”.
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Local residents told the Stray Ferret that the closure of Whinney Lane will be the start of years of disruption due to the different housing developments planned for the area.
One resident, who didn’t wish to be named, said she has seen construction vehicles blocking the lane for residents who use it to exercise. She said “it’s like a takeover”.
Another resident, David Siddans, said he is expecting further closures when more homes are built on the adjacent field of Whinney Lane.
Nigel Smith, head of highway operations at NYCC told the Stray Ferret that they hope works can be completed ahead of schedule and that there will be a temporary footpath installed for pedestrians.
However, he said the authority would not be able to provide any compensation to the Squinting Cat.
He said:
“We understand the inconvenience the closure will cause however these are essential and unavoidable works associated with the development.
“A signed diversion will be in place and pedestrian access has been agreed with the landowner, providing a temporary footpath to houses and businesses.
“We understand the concerns that businesses have regarding trade during any road closure. However, there is no statutory provision for compensation by the Highway Authority for businesses affected by essential roadworks.
“If a business is concerned about a road closure please get in touch with their local highways office, but regretfully we are unable to make any offer of compensation due to the temporary disruption of traffic flow in this area. That said, local access to residences and The Squinting Cat will be maintained where possible.”
