Businesses have complained they have been badly hit by a temporary road closure in Beccles.

Blyburgate has been shut since Tuesday, and the closure is due to finish today while UK Power Networks installs a new connection in one of the street’s properties.

But independent traders on the road say the company has not made enough effort to let people know traders are still open for business.

Richard Stubbings of Kulture Shock said: “I am surprised that it takes four days to do the electricity for the new jewellery shop when there was no need to close the road when putting in electricity for the new houses behind it.

“The current road closure has left Blyburgate deserted. It has not helped that the road closure notices have not said that the shops are open.

“Indeed the road closed signs are before the car park entrance and as such imply that the car park is closed.

“This has not only impacted on shops in Blyburgate, but will inevitably impact on the town centre too.”

Stuart Holman of the nearby Car Shop said his takings had been down every day of the road closure.

“It has taken them four days to do a job I think they could have done in a day,” he said. “People have just kept out of Blyburgate, we’ve lost passing trade because people are fed up and don’t want to queue to get into the town.”

A spokesman for UK Power Networks said the road had to be closed so they could “work safely” and that they apologised for the inconvenience. She said that while signs had been put up to let people know the businesses were open, they had initially been put in the wrong place. They said more signs were installed yesterday after businesses requested them.