BUSINESSES in Sherfield on Loddon have seen a drop in footfall as a major road closure continues cut off the village. 

Sherfield Road, from Sherfield on Loddon to Bramley, has been closed since Monday, November 20 and has continued into 2024.

Despite a break over Christmas, which began on Monday, December 18 2023 and ended in early January, businesses have seen less customers coming through their doors. 

READ MORE: Residents angry as major road to close for THREE months - with little warning

Gaynor Hollis, from The Coffee Shop, in Bramley Road, said: "The road reopened again on December 18 and it was almost instant how much busier we became. It was great to see loads of happy customers back in the cafe, but soon after the road closed and we've been quiet in comparison since.

"There has been a real lack of information about when the road is going to reopen, and the diversion cuts off a large area of potential customers from us, as the diversion is significant and puts people off making the long drive across to the village."

A worker in the village post office added: "It was noticeable for us that the closure impacted business, but we're very fortunate to have a lot of very loyal customers from Bramley who use our post office regularly, and made the effort to use us over the Christmas period, which is great news, and something we very much appreciate."

Ellie Giles, who works in Londis in Reading Road, said: "We were very quiet in the run-up to Christmas, and you can't blame the customers for not making the long drive across, as a lot of our customer base comes from Bramley.

"It picked up when the road reopened just before Christmas, but since it's shut again, I expect January will be a rather quiet month. The back roads around this area are terrible and I wouldn't dream of driving down some of them, so don't blame others for not putting their vehicles through that."

SEE ALSO: Two men arrested after police chase stolen car around Basingstoke

She added: "It's also worth mentioning the effect the road closure has had on kids in the area, as they have to leave so much earlier to get to school on time, which is really unfair on the kids, particularly the ones that rely on the buses. It's increased the length of the school by hours for them."

The work being completed is excavating in the existing highway to lay a new power and fibre optic cable to connect a new solar farm, currently under construction, to the existing substation in Bramley Road.

The diversion route was initially planned to be Cufaude Lane, but this has since been changed. All traffic will instead be diverted through Bramley to the A340 Aldermaston Road.

Prior to the work starting residents expressed concerns about the timing of the closure, adding they had received "next to no notice" that the closure would be taking place and the length of the works.

The work will continue until Wednesday, January 24.