A PUB landlord has seen a 70 per cent drop in lunchtime trade since road works to replace 100-year-old gas pipes started. 

Matthew Brown, who runs the Castle Inn at the top of Hurst village, said he's seen the dramatic drop in business since the road closed at the beginning of the works on Monday. 

Matthew said: “The road closure goes through School Road, Church Hill and down to the bottom of the hill and, although the works are only taking place on one side, the workmen have still decided to close the entire way to traffic.

“The pub sits at the top of the village so it’s really hard for people to access the pub and we’ve seen a dramatic impact on trade even though it is still open to pedestrians.

“On top of the tough economic climate, which has already made it a tough month, we’ve really suffered, and fewer people are booking tables now.”

One local resident said: “A person working on the gas main work said we have found two gas leaks we are repairing at the same time as replacing the old iron pipework along Castle Hill here in Hurst, it's going to take around two weeks to finish.”

According to Matthew, the recent flooding and freezing temperatures have also stopped walkers from coming up the lane.

This is due to the excess water from fields gathering at the bottom and the slippery conditions during the cold.

He explains: “We cater for a range of customers, which includes 8 to 10 regulars in the evening and then people who come out from different areas to eat. There are also a lot of community groups that come up to use our meeting rooms

“Although it’s on the top of the hill and a little bit further away from the village, it acts as a community hub where a lot of people come up and use our conference room for free.

“Cllr Wayne Smith, the local councillor for Hurst and South Twyford has been very helpful and is trying to do as much as they can to help.

“He’s aware of the situation and he’s seeing what he can do to help speed things up.”

Dan Brown, a spokesman from SGN said: "Our engineers are replacing old metal mains with new plastic pipe in the Church Hill area of Hurst.

"To ensure everyone’s safety while we complete this work, we’ve needed to close a section of Church Hill to motorists. A signed diversion is in place for affected road users.

"We appreciate roadworks can be frustrating for road users, nearby residents and businesses. However, this essential work will ensure local properties continue to receive a safe and reliable supply of gas for many years to come. We’d like to thank those impacted by our work for their patience and understanding.

"The Castle Inn is not located within our closure area. Drivers are able to access The Castle Inn from the southern end of Church Hill.

"We’ve installed additional signage around our work area to notify people that businesses are open as usual throughout our project here.

"We’re hopeful of being able to safely reopen this section of Church Hill by Monday 6 February. Our engineers have further work to carry out in the area, but this three-week phase of the project will be completed under temporary traffic lights."