MARKET traders have hit out at Northumberland County Council after notice of a road closure in Hexham town centre was not published in their local paper – leaving them in the dark.

Instead of placing the notice in the Hexham Courant , details about a temporary road closure on Market Street, at the junction with Back Row and effective between March 19 and April 16, were placed in last week’s Northumberland Gazette – an Alnwick-based newspaper which does not cover this area.

The notice outlined that the road was expected to be completely cut off for vehicle access at all times from March 26 to April 9.

Letters were handed out to businesses on Market Street which were within the closure area, which an online map shows will begin outside of Mr Wolf, and continue for 50m to outside New Silver Palace.

But those further afield said they had been given no notice of the closure – which blocks one of the major routes into Hexham town centre and the Market Place.

“I don’t know a thing,” said Steven Dunn who runs Shield Green Nurseries on Market Place.

“People shop with their cars, so if they can’t get into the town centre it’s bound to affect trade.

“It’s terrible. If it had been in the Courant I would have known. I read it every week and always check planning applications and road closures and that kind of thing.”

Paula Shield, owner of Knights Cafe, said: “We haven’t been told a thing and we are the longest standing cafe in Hexham.

“It will affect everyone and people should know about it.

“We always read the Hexham Courant ; we go through to see what’s going on and something like that is a massive thing – if that was in there people would know as word would get round.”

A main concern for the businesses and traders was that the closure would affect business.

Joanna Jackson, owner of Sweet Sweet Sweets on Market Place, was also unaware of the closure. She said: “It’s an inconvenience and hard enough to get into Hexham at the minute anyway without road closures.

“That’s a main road in Hexham so it will affect trade massively,” said Mandy Rainey, who works at Meadow Fruits, in the market.

“If they are not going to put it in the paper they have got to tell people somehow. Surely that’s how a lot of people find out.”

Shirley Adamson of Streetwear Fashions added: “I think people should know about things like this.

“It will affect trade a lot. My customers should know about something as big as this. Even if I hadn’t seen it myself, someone would have and word would get round about it that way.”

The work is being undertaken by Northern Powergrid and includes the installation of a new mains electricity cable. It also allows for scaffolding and roof works to various properties on Market Street.