Bangor High Street reopens to traffic after fire

Bangor High Street has been open to pedestrians but businesses say there has been a drop in footfall

Part of Wales' longest high street is reopening to traffic, 18 months after a fire damaged buildings.

Bangor High Street has been open to pedestrians but scaffolding has prevented vehicles from entering following the fire at Noodle One restaurant in December 2019.

Some businesses on the street said footfall had dropped and the Covid pandemic made things harder still.

Gwynedd council thanked "residents and traders for their patience".

The fire happened on in December 2019

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One of the businesses hit by the work has been clothes shop So Chic.

"It's been so frustrating", said owner Carys Davies.

Work to repair the street is nearing completion, the council says

"Not just for me but for my customers and also all the businesses."

"There have been less people walking past, it's been quiet on the High Street and deliveries have been difficult."

She was concerned how long work had taken. "I think it's disgusting and so frustrating," she said.

The street was closed to traffic for 18 months

"Months and months have passed where there has been little going on because of the pandemic and that would have been a brilliant time to do work."

She said the road reopening to vehicles would make a "massive" difference.

"We will have people walking up again and they won't have that obstacle - the huge scaffolding in front of them - so it will entice people up."

Catrin Wager urged people to support businesses on Bangor High Street

Local councillor Catrin Wager said it had been a "long 18 months".

She told Claire Summers on BBC Radio Wales: "It has really hit businesses hard. I'm totally sympathetic to that but I really hope now that we can come back together and really support these businesses because lots of businesses have been hit badly by Covid but Bangor businesses, especially at this end, have had it particularly hard."

Gwynedd council has previously said the delay reopening the street was "disappointing".

Announcing the road reopening on Wednesday morning, the council's head of environment Dafydd Wyn Williams said he was pleased that the work was nearing completion.

He thanked "local residents and traders for their patience and understanding throughout the difficult period".