Traders welcome Christmas reprieve from sewer works

Lee Mason says he is 'over the moon' to have the road reopened

Traders on one of Londonderry's busiest streets are hoping its temporary reopening will help boost business over the Christmas period.

Foyle Street closed in August to facilitate a major upgrade to the city centre's water and sewerage infrastructure.

It reopened on Thursday and will remain open until 6 January when the "essential" upgrade work will resume, NI Water said.

Record store owner Lee Mason said he was "over the moon" the hoardings had come down and the street had returned to normal - for now.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme, he said it had been a challenging time to trade on Foyle Street since the work started.

Without his store's regular customers he is unsure what would have happened his trade.

Since August, he said, trade is "down 20-25% on weekdays, 40% on weekends".

"It has had a serious impact on our business," he said.

The road closed in August with works expected to last well into next year

He is hopeful the reopening will be good for business.

"It's like Covid being lifted. There is people on the street again. It is great for us coming into Christmas which is the busiest time of the year for us, the most important time of the year for us. It is fantastic for everyone in the town, fantastic for us."

Charles McEleney says it has been difficult for traders since the road closed in August

Charles McEleney owns a hair salon on Foyle Street.

He said it had been a difficult trading period since the street closed.

"There has been no passing trade from bus station, no passing trade from Foyleside," he said.

There had also been issues with the "horrendous daily mess" caused by the works, he said, but added that Derry people have the attitude needed to "get on with it".

He is also giving the street's reopening a huge welcome.

"It is Christmas and you just have to make the most of it and get on with it," said Charles.

The road will now remain open until 6 January

In a statement, NI Water said it was grateful to "the local businesses and wider public for their ongoing support as we deliver this essential new water and wastewater infrastructure".

The company added it was "pleased to be in a position to provide this break in construction activity and reopen Foyle Street for the Christmas and New Year period".

Since it was closed, Foyle Street has been blocked off to through traffic

Anna Doherty, the chief executive of the city's chamber of commerce, the Foyle street traders have "borne the brunt" of the ongoing works.

"They have done so with great grace, and I am glad to say they will have the opportunity to share in that Christmas trade. We are seeing an increase in footfall and it is very positive generally in the city… hopefully Foyle street traders will get their share of that now," she said.