Yes, it’s true. Thanks to Mr Noah for posting this news on the forum …
Southern Gas, (bless ’em) will be closing Ventnor High Street from Church Street to Spring Hill, as from 15.1.07 for, Wait for it — 3 months!!!
Most of us little businesses are not too happy about this and have taken steps to get proper signage and free parking in all the car parks for the duration of the works. Our local councillor, JFB has assured us that free parking should not be a problem and Jamie from the Business Assoc has said that the signage looks OK, but will be getting a plan from the IOW Council.
We hope that by doing this, we will be able to mitigate the effects of this closure and ensure that the businesses stay solvent.
As far as we know (knowing people who live there) this information wasn’t given to residents in the High Street, although perhaps that was planned for nearer the time …. such as, leafleting the day before in order to ask people to move their cars.
Mr Noah (that’s Steve from Noahs Ark) has been assured by Councillor Basildon-Bond that free parking will be provided in all Ventnor car parks for the period, but it’s not clear how the bus route will be diverted. I’ve written to Southern Vectis and hoping to hear back on Monday.
Three months seems an amazing amount of time to close the main thoroughfare of a town, so I’m sure that it must be necessary work.
Please don’t let the diversion put you off from continuing to support your local shops.
UPDATE: According to the new signs up in the High Street, works are planned to finished by 23 March.
