by Chris Hunter

chunter@thekmgroup.co.uk

Trade-starved businesses are hoping their village can spring back to life after months of road works.

Last month traders in Aylesford said the village had been practically turned into a ghost town by the extended closure of the High Street, enforced by continuous work to fix a culvert under the road to prevent problems with flooding.

The road was first closed at the end of February as work began on what was thought to be a three-week job, but four months on the builders were still there –- while visitors were becoming increasingly sparse in the normally popular village.

Many business owners feared for their future; among them Deanna Annette, of Gossip Hairdessing, and Nichola Wright, of neighbouring Beautybank, who said customers had admitted they were avoiding the village and slammed Kent Highways for a shambolic project.

But since the Kent Messenger reported the problem the work has been completed, and the High Street was finally opened again on Monday, July 2.

"It’s just been a nightmare with the road closed because there were no people coming through the village," said Deanna. "We were being forgotten about – - we weren’t being noticed."

But she said the situation had improved markedly since Monday. "The phone has been ringing more; more people are walking past – people just realise we’re open.

"Often making an appointment is a spur of the moment thing.

"Hopefully now it should pick up a little bit more, - it seems a lot busier in the village already. You don’t realise how much traffic comes through."