Unexpected Street Works Disrupt the Business of Local Shop Owners

By Dan Antunes
With no announcement or method of formal arrival, a squad of government enlisted builders began making moves to destroy and dig up the pavement outside Half Moon Health Foods on the morning of the 28th of October.
A surprise to the owners, who hadn’t received any warning from the council as they have in the past for issues relating to road or maintenance work, the main issue surrounding the pavement works is the heritage of the paving stones which are part of the town’s history.
The owner of Half Moon Health Foods detailed his annoyance at the works which have been the most disruptive they’ve had outside the shop. Having been ‘left in the dark’ by the council, who’d only previously told them about works on queen street, their business situation has become ‘awkward because the work is just outside the premises and the pavement is missing so it’s quite hard for people to get to [them]’.
The work is also affecting the business of the shop who were ‘expecting quite a big delivery that morning which needed unloading’. Disappointment at the speed of the works was also noted as the road had initially been closed off 3 days before with no sign of works happening.
When asked about the importance attached to the stone paving the owner stated that ‘the stone paving is part of Huddersfield’s heritage as a stone town. [He] had imagined that they would’ve taken them out carefully to be reused but having looked at it this morning, the way they dug the paving up hasn’t given [him] much confidence’. He went on to explain that modern paving would ‘make the town a little blander… losing some of its unique appeal as they look like standard slabs you find in any part of the world’.
Whether the road works continue to disrupt this business or not, the lack of communication between the council and its local shops sends a worrying message to how it prioritises town investment. Hopefully, the situation will be resolved.