BELEAGUERED traders in a city centre street which has been badly affected by repair works to an at-risk building have been handed a council cash boost.
Grants of between £1,200 and £2,700 are being made available by Worcester City Council to businesses in the lower part of Broad Street.
The under-pressure shop owners saw their trade hit in November when the road had to be shut to allow emergency buttressing to be installed at the Poundland building.
The unsafe building is now surrounded by a large structure of scaffolding, buttressing and barriers, which partly obscures the route to the affected businesses, and there are concerns that some shoppers are continuing to stay away.
Tim Evans, owner of Broad Street-based Toys and Games of Worcester, said: “The emergency road closure last year came at a crucial part of the trading calendar and whilst the scaffold remains in situ it brings with it continuing challenges for the businesses of lower Broad Street.
“We’re grateful for the assistance Worcester City Council has provided and the reassurances that the seriousness of this issue is recognised.
“We are confident everyone wants a speedy conclusion to this although we understand that this is likely to remain an issue for us until the autumn.”
The Poundland building was found to be at risk of partial collapse just as the Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre was getting underway in late November.
Broad Steet had to be closed at its junction with Angel Place to ensure public safety and was partly reopened on December 2.
Under this new grant scheme, the lower Broad Street traders will receive grants of £1,200, £1,800 or £2,700, depending on the business’s rateable value or turnover.
Coun Marc Bayliss, leader of Worcester City Council, said: “The lower Broad Street businesses have been really hard-hit by this unfortunate chain of events.
“We have written to every trader in lower Broad Street to set out this new grant scheme. I would urge any who have not yet responded to do so as quickly as possible, so that we can get this funding to them.”
The Poundland building is owned by Crown Estates, which is carrying out repairs to it.
