Businesses say closed street is damaging trade

Demolition work has begun on the buildings impacted by the fires, but a date has yet to be announced for the reopening of the road

Traders in a town have said their businesses had suffered after two fires 12 months ago closed the road where they operated.

It has been a year since the blaze ripped through the former Balloon Bar and Angel Hotel on Bridge Street, Northampton.

In May another fire in the former Fat Cats bar, which was also located on Bridge Street, also caused extensive damage.

West Northamptonshire Council said demolition work has now begun and following a First-tier Tribunal judgement, the landowner has until 6 September to complete the work.

It is one of the busiest areas of town during the evening with many nightclubs and restaurants.

Zeeshan Manzoor opened the Northampton branch of a chain of The Ladz restaurants in June 2023.

Zeeshan Manzoor, the owner of The Ladz restaurant, said his business had been doing very well until the fire.

He said: "Our business has been struggling, there’s no footfall during the day… and the other problem we have is the delivery drivers aren’t coming.

"We want an exact date of when the road will reopen and we want some incentives to bring more footfall to the town."

Mr Manzoor organised a petition calling on more information and support from the authority.

Nearly 60 companies signed the petition and it was presented to West Northamptonshire Council at a full council meeting in July.

Mr Manzoor said he has had no response from the authority.

Nick Paterson from Jackson Stops estate agent said there had been a lack of communication from the council

The estate agents, Jackson-Stops, has been operating from Bridge Street for 110 years. Nick Paterson, a partner with the firm, said: "Most city centres tend to have a main arterial road and Bridge Street is the main road into the town centre and without the main road, it does reduce the footfall and traffic coming in.

"So of course we’re going to be affected as are other traders and it really should be a priority for the council."

Two businesses on Bridge Street reportedly closed in August partly due to a lack of footfall since the fires.

The owners of the Playhouse bar, who trade on Bridge Street, told the BBC that the closure over the past 12 months had been really unhelpful.

The Northampton Chronicle and Echo has reported that Grillers kebab shop on Bridge Street has been forced to shut.

West Northamptonshire Council said: "Once [demolition] work is complete, we should be in a position to reopen Bridge Street.

"Throughout the closure, members of our economic growth team have visited business owners on and around the street to provide information on the guidance, support and various grant schemes available to them.

"In addition to this, businesses experiencing financial hardship due to the road closure might be eligible for hardship relief to remove or reduce some business rates."