SHOPKEEPER Caroline Tayson, of Rosie’s Larder in Fore Street, Wellington, claims takings were down more than 50 per cent last week because of the ‘inconsiderate parking’ of contractors outside her store.

She said the contractors were working on the refurbishment of Lloyds bank next door.

Caroline said: “On Friday I arrived at Rosie’s to find a scaffolding lorry parked directly outside my shop and a builder’s lorry in front of Lloyds with almost the entire loading bay blocked off by their own ‘men at work’ signage.”

She said after speaking with the contractors she phoned Wellington Town Council – whose offices overlook Rosie’s Larder from the other side of the street – to seek help and was advised to contact Somerset West & Taunton Highways Department.

She added: “I spoke with its Highways team who confirmed no permits were in place for the contractors and that the loading bay they were blocking should only be used for 20 minutes at a time.

“I pointed out the vehicles had been on site for four days without consequence to the builders but that my turnover would not even cover the salary of my staff.

“I was advised to contact Parking Enforcement and was told that a warden had been in the area on Tuesday but that he would be asked to revisit today (Friday).

“[Later] I was aware of a conversation between the parking warden, who had finally arrived, and the building contractors, who were not ticketed but asked to relocate their vehicles, which they did. Thirty minutes later, after the disappearance of the warden, they were back.”

She said the contractor’s lorries returned with a cement mixer which was parked in front of Rosie’s Larder. Cement was being offloaded into a wheelbarrow in front of her shop doorway and the pavement was blocked for almost two hours.

Caroline said she appreciated Lloyds investing in its premises in the town to be accessible to everyone following the loss of three banks in recent years. However, she added: “Its contractor’s blatant disregard of a local business trying its best to function is beyond painful.”