Shopkeepers in Sittingbourne say they are losing business due to the temporary closure of their high street.

The High Street is closed from Station Street to Central Avenue between 10am and 4pm on Mondays to Thursdays.

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The temporary closure was put in place in July last year, initially to help with social distancing rules during the coronavirus pandemic, but have caused uproar among business owners.

The controversial pedestrianisation scheme is also in place in Sheerness and Faversham and fed-up shopkeepers in those town centres have staged vehement protests against the ban.

In Sittingbourne, Robert Farmer of News Plus newsagents, says he is losing customers.

“It is affecting us because a lot of people who drive to Sittingbourne would rather drive to somewhere where there is parking,” said the 57-year-old.

“This is a convenience store, so we don’t get that kind of business.

“When we took over this business, the previous owners were getting £2,000 a day,” he said.

“We are getting nowhere near that. If we are lucky, we get about £1,400 but we are averaging £1,200 or £1,300 a day.

“We are really struggling. We have to pay rent, water and electricity bills, so it is difficult.”

James Matthews, owner of Watermans Funeral Directors, thinks the roads should be reopened as a matter of urgency.

“You pay a lot of money to be on the high street. But if people cannot see us, then we have to spend more money on advertising,” said the 48-year-old.

Chris Staff, owner of Empire Menswear, says it is hard to predict how much trade he is losing, with the coronavirus outbreak also affecting his business.

He said: “But even if we lose two to three customers a day, that could be £25 to £100 a day we are losing out on.

“Some people come into town and spend a couple of hundred quid with us, and others come in and spend a tenner.”

The 40-year-old said delivery drivers also regularly struggled to find where to park when visiting his shop on Sittingbourne High Street.

Owner of Topps Jewellers, Mark Woods, said he experienced slight issues when the road closures were first enforced last July.

But he said: “We have been here 44 years, so people know we are here.”

Meanwhile, Ben Bostanci, of Ben’s Barber Shop, had mixed views, saying he didn’t think the ban had had a big impact on his business.

The 47-year-old said: “I like the road being shut but, also, I don’t like it shut.

“I don’t like the cars driving fast down the high street.

“The whole reason I think they have closed the road is to give more space on the footpaths for people.”

The area's MP has slammed the temporary closure of the two high streets in his constituency.

Gordon Henderson (Con), who represents Sittingbourne and Sheppey, says the car ban in both towns is “stupid” and that any suggestion of it being made permanent “will be the final nail in the coffin of our high streets”.

It comes as Swale council announced it was running a three-week public consultation on the controversial pedestrianisation of Sittingbourne, Sheerness and Faversham town centres.

The authority is inviting people’s views on the schemes for each town, and whether they should be made permanent or modified.

The consultations will take place for each of the three towns separately.

Council leader, Roger Truelove (Lab) hit back at Mr Henderson's comments, saying: " In any debate there are usually two sides, both with merit, and neither should be dismissed as "stupid".

"During the pandemic Swale Council has followed government and public health advice to ease social distancing by closing town centres to traffic. Throughout this period we have been strongly lobbied by some traders and this has been well reported.

"What has not been shared so widely are the indications from many members of the public that they feel more inclined to go to town centres because they feel safer. Many people are in favour of permanent pedestrianisation.

"It is certainly a difficult time for High Streets, up and down the country, whether closed or open to traffic. We have gone through a period when the government has closed down non essential shopping and so it is no surprise that recovery has been sluggish, though I believe it will pick up now.

"We are very conscious too, of the issues facing disabled shoppers, but we do believe we can make better provision in a permanent scenario rather than under the current limited traffic order.

"The coalition administration at Swale wants our Town centres to thrive. This can best be done by making them better places to visit, safer and more environmentally pleasant. Pedestrianisation may or may not be a factor in achieving that. We will of course listen to what people say in the consultation."

The consultation runs until Monday June 14. To take part click here.

Results will be shared with the Joint Transportation Board, and the council will then decide if it wants to proceed with a formal consultation before any changes are implemented.

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