Works being carried out as part of a town centre regeneration scheme are having a negative impact on trade according to business owners.

In May this year businesses expressed fears for the future when roadworks began in Strood, and those fears remain with traffic on the town's High Street having been brought to a standstill on regular basis since then.

Del Rayes who owns Shrood Cobblers in the High Street, said the impact of the roadworks had been "massive."

KMTV have been to find out how Strood businesses have been affected by the roadworks

"They've now got temporary traffic lights that have completely brought Strood to a standstill," he said. "People are just avoiding us like the plague and the problem we've got long term is are we going to get those people back?"
He said Medway Council should do more to protect Strood in the short term, regardless of long term regeneration plans.

"They've got to look after small businesses and Strood," he added. "It's all about the large corporations; they don't help us at all.

"They're ok with Rochester - they open all the roads up for Dickens and whatever else because it's all about Rochester, and over that bridge we are the poor relation and I think it's got to change."

Strood Councillor Jane Chitty said the council had worked closely with businesses throughout the project and kept them updated as the work progressed.

She added: "We would like to thank all businesses for their ongoing patience while the works are carried out.

"The project aims to boost economic growth and provide jobs in the town centre."

So far the work has seen pavements resurfaced and widened in effort to improve Strood and attract visitors, but Mr Rayes believes it's the wrong use of funds.

He added: "Rather than clogging up the roads, clogging up the paths, stopping traffic coming in, there's a lot of other things they could have done with £9million rather than muck up Strood High Street."

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