A baffled businessman has branded the decision to close the street outside his Dundee fancy dress shop for the five days leading up to Halloween “a joke.”
David Farry, owner of Yvonne’s fancy dress in the city centre, has been left frustrated after he was told that the Seagate would be closed for most of the week leading up to October 31.
The trader fears the closure will impact his business heavily during their most profitable period.
He said: “It’s those days specifically that are the busiest of the year for us, they’re busier than any other time.
“In the week before Halloween we can usually get about a month’s takings, so it almost feels like some kind of joke, like it’s been made up or something.
“The street is going to be closed to buses, taxis, people just wanting to come and get something quickly, so it’s definitely going to have an impact on us.
“The bus is the main way a lot of people get into town, so if they’re having to get off and walk all the way round then that could really impact business.
“It just seems like we’ve been given no consultation or notice for this. I just got a letter, and although the date on it is October 16, it only came today.”
The 36-year-old also believes the road closure will make an already tough year much harder.
He added: “I already knew that this year would be harder for us, with none of the pubs or universities having their parties.
“We already had three months of closure too this year, so that was tough, and we didn’t have freshers which is usually huge for us.
“I called the council and asked why they couldn’t do this another time, why they had to pick these five days, and they said that they can’t do it in November because they don’t close roads during the Christmas period.
“I assume that it’s to protect businesses during their busiest season, but they have to understand for me that this is my busiest season, not Christmas.
“It seems like there’s no regard for us, they had 365 other days they could have done this.”
A Dundee City Council spokesman said: “These roadworks are part of an annual roads maintenance programme across the city, which have been delayed due to Covid-19.
“Seagate, East Marketgait to Trades Lane, will be closed from Monday 26 October for five days for carriageway resurfacing work.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused as we endeavour to complete our annual roadworks programme this year.”
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