Disruption fears for shops as Nuneaton revamp begins

Jo Williams said she was worried her shop and others would lose customers following the car park closure

A council has been urged to give businesses in a Warwickshire town more support as they face disruption at the start of a regeneration scheme.

Abbey Street in Nuneaton is being revamped as part of a wider £155m project.

But it has seen the closure of a car park, and shop owner Jo Williams said firms feared losing business.

"The traders do need some assistance in getting the footfall through while this development is taking place," she said.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Council leader Kristofer Wilson admitted there would be inconvenience "for a few years" but urged businesses to look at the bigger picture.

"It is not all doom and gloom, just please bear with us, there is a great prize at the end of this," he said.

The overall Transforming Nuneaton Programme includes a new library and business centre and a revamp of the town's transport links.

The Abbey Street redevelopment is part of a series of projects which form the £155m Transforming Nuneaton Programme

Work on the Abbey Street area includes construction of a new 145-bed hotel.

The car park shut on 25 July and Ms Williams, who runs Joco Gifts, said she had just agreed to relocate her business when she found out it was closing.

"It is a bit of a shock, but I think the actual development when it is all done will be fantastic for the town," she told BBC Radio CWR.

She said she would have preferred a planned new multi-storey car park to be built first, but Mr Wilson said it would not have been safe for drivers while other building work continued.

The council said other car parks were open including Harefield Road and Justice Walk.