Access to Charroterie Mills has been made difficult due to the road closure.

THE lack of passing trade could cripple businesses in Charroterie Mills, according to one local firm. The major route into Town has been closed for nine weeks while Ruettes Brayes is one-way with the junction of Colborne Road.

Channel Islands Tyre Company’s depot manager Peter Martin said it was difficult to tell how the closure would affect business.

‘It’s early days yet but passing trade is the cream on the cake,’ he said. ‘There are only three men on the job and nine weeks is a heck of a long time.

‘It’s excessive. La Charroterie was closed for 22 weeks between 1992 and 1998, then again in 2000 and again a couple of years ago. Jonathan Guilbert at Environment has been very helpful with signposts for the businesses. We couldn’t have asked for more but I would have liked to see it partly opened to traffic, with temporary lights in place.’

A spokeswoman for Environment said that the closure was necessary for Guernsey Electricity to lay a cable across the roundabout.