TRADERS on Hexham’s Market Street are open for business and need your support.

That was the plea from some of the street’s independent businesses this week as a two-week road closure got under way.

Northern Powergrid is working to install a new mains electricity cable while scaffolding has also been put in place to allow for roof works to a number of properties.

Lani Noble, who runs the Little Mexico eatery with her partner David Copado, said despite the street remaining open to pedestrians the disruption had already had an impact on footfall.

“The street is just like one big building site. I’ve had to squeeze past wing mirrors of parked vehicles just to get to the door of our unit,” she explained.

“Nobody anticipated the extent of the machinery involved and disturbance this would cause. We’ve already lost a lot of trade.”

And on Wednesday morning traders trying to open up were met by a power cut which lasted around 45 minutes and affected a total of 290 properties in the town centre.

A Northern Powergrid spokeswoman said a problem with the power network had been discovered while engineers were connecting a generator.

Stationer Andrew Graham, who runs Penfax, said: “My family have traded on this street for 160 years and I’m sure my grandfather would turn in his grave if he knew what things were like now. This work has got to be done and we could quite happily live through it if it was in isolation, but there just seems to be one thing after another holding Hexham back.”

Lindsey Birney, who runs the Mr Wolf toy shop with husband Austin, called on people to shop local wherever possible. She said: “There are a whole host of fantastic independent traders in Hexham and we need people’s support.”

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said: “The road is closed until April 9 to allow three pieces of work by Northern Powergrid plus the inspection of a roof for one of the shops in the street and all work will be complete before the main Easter holidays.

“We have arranged for ‘businesses open as usual’ signs to be installed, and have promoted this on our website and social media channels.”