Leicestershire marina fears roadworks will hit trade

A Leicestershire business has said "unexpected" roadworks outside its entrance could cost it thousands of pounds in lost trade.

Roads around Pilling's Lock Marina, near Quorn, will be closed for two weeks from Monday.

Owners said they only found out about the start date of the work on Friday and had no time to plan around the disruption.

The county council said there would still be some access to the marina.

Paul Lillie, from Pilling's Lock Marina, said: "What we will make over the next two weeks of July would pay for our payroll for one of the winter months when we are not making any money.

"We were contacted by Leicester Highways in May and we expressed a really strong opposition to it happening in the summer weeks.

"In these weeks we take three or four times as much as any other week in the year.

"It fills you with dread and panic that your business, that is already struggling, is going to get a battering, which the council could have helped to avoid by keeping us informed."

Mr Lillie added that when he contacted the county council about when the roadworks were due to begin he was told that a letter was meant to be sent out, but it failed to be posted.

The authority said the mail was dated 19 July.

The marina has space for up to 300 boats and 60 people permanently live at the site.