What used to be a busy and thriving town centre and home to one of Britain’s famed ‘Seven Wonders’, Ashbourne, which is located on the edge of the Peak District in Derbyshire, appears to have become eerily quiet due to relentless roadworks, noise pollution, and a sharp decline in visitors. The ambitious £15million Ashbourne Reborn campaign, aimed at narrowing roads and widening footpaths, has unintentionally put the brakes on the town’s vibrant tourist trade. Some of its stunning winding streets have reportedly been closed since March and the high street has now been dominated by bright orange barriers, diggers, and ‘road closed’ signs, thereby blocking vehicles and seemingly discouraging foot traffic.
Shop and restaurant owners have reported a footfall so low that some shops are struggling to make as little as £10 a day, the Sun reported. Several businesses have closed their doors, unable to survive the extended disruption, which is scheduled to continue until October, long after the crucial summer tourist season.
David Still, manager of the restaurant, Blarneys, said: “We are 50 to 60 per cent down in walk-ins. It’s horrendous. We are reliant on footfall and our central location is one of our major assets. We are worried that in the upcoming tourist season, tourists will be avoiding the town centre.”
Georgina Ashworth, owner of the shop, Pretty Things, said: “Visitors and shoppers are thinking twice about coming here, and businesses are closing down.
“It’s become a ghost town and it’s become survival of the fittest because shoppers and tourists are simply avoiding us, which is very sad. They can’t just nip across the road to browse and buy in many shops because the place is dug up and it’s so noisy, people are walking around with their fingers in their ears.
“The roadworks have been going on for months and have driven everyone away. People are avoiding Ashbourne. [The council] have not offered any compensation for loss of business and it seems to be getting worse, rather than better.”
A council spokesperson said: “We understand that local people, traders and visitors are feeling frustrated with the roadworks in Ashbourne at the moment and would like to offer our apologies for any inconvenience they are causing.
“We were always mindful that the works would cause disruption, but business are open and accessible and Ashbourne is still very much open for business. We are working with all our partners, including Derbyshire Dales District Council, to do all we can to both speed up the roadworks and work with traders to address any specific concerns they may have.
“Once the work is finished Ashbourne will be a much better place to visit.”