RICHARD BATSON Traders in Cromer are hoping sewer repairs will be finished before the half term holiday begins.

RICHARD BATSON

Traders in a seaside town are hoping sewer repairs will be finished before the half term holiday begins.

Shops in Cromer's Garden Street face disruption while the road is dug up to mend a collapsed pipe.

Coming after a wet summer which hit trade at the resort, they are keen for the work to be finished before the holiday kicks off on Saturday.

The problems are outside the Garden House art, craft and gift shop run by Hilary Hann, who has suffered flowing sewage outside the front door and rising damp in the cellar damaging bags and stock.

Work is due to start today digging up the street to get at the problem, which is in a privately-owned feeder pipe rather than the main public sewer.

Building landlords could face a bill similar to the £5,800 paid out by Grant Zelos at Cromer's famous Mary Jane's fish and chip restaurant next door in July 2004, shortly after the street had been resurfaced as part of the town's regeneration scheme.

And he says the latest incident will rekindle his efforts to get the money back through a claim, because he is convinced the problems stem from compaction of the ground by the regeneration roadworks.

Traders' main concern however is to get the works completed in time for the half term break - in the hope good weather will help them recover from a disastrous summer which saw June and July trade virtually washed out by wet weather.

Mrs Hann's shop will have to close while the work happens outside and she is keen to reopen on Saturday.

The Fancy This Fancy That gift, toy and beach goods shop opposite needed to have a full holiday week of trading, said co-owner Kathy Lynch, who added:

“If the weather is good people will still be crabbing. We need a good week after a poor summer.”