TRADERS and shoppers in Beccles have been given a boost after it emerged that a road closure in the town centre could remain in force for another month.

Beccles Town Council has received notification that the top of Blyburgate could be closed until the end of November.

Now Waveney District Council has taken action by suspending parking charges at Blyburgate for the whole of November in an effort to draw shoppers to the area.

The district council hopes that by suspending the charge for using the car park more people will come into Blyburgate to look around the shops.

This would mean traders could get a much-needed boost while they work to overcome the challenges related to structural work in the town centre.

The road has been closed since the end of last month when a large hole appeared outside Pennington Opticians as a result of the pavement collapsing into the cellar of the building.

It is believed that heavy rain entered the sandy subsoil and took out part of the bearing strata to create a void which then collapsed.

Over the past month structural work has taken place, which has affected road access and, in turn, had an adverse impact on the local businesses that rely on a steady flow of people coming into the town centre to do their shopping. Waveney District Council leader Mark Bee said: “This is our way of helping and supporting traders in Blyburgate.

“We’d like to impress upon people that the car park is still open, despite the pavement works and road problems, and we urge shoppers to use it if they are coming into the town centre – especially as now it won’t cost them a penny throughout the whole of November. We’ll also be doing what we can to support traders in December.”

Mr Bee also revealed that parking will be free in Waveney’s market towns for the three Saturdays leading up to Christmas from 10am, which will make Christmas shopping easier for Waveney residents and benefit traders by encouraging more people to come into the towns.

The district council will also suspend car parking charges in Lowestoft from 4pm on November 25 for the Christmas lights switch-on.