A GROUP of restaurant and pub owners have banded together to help fight the roadworks chaos that could cause serious damage to their businesses.

On Monday improvements works began on the A120 between Marks Tey and Bradwell.

The roadworks are expected to last until May, with a series of overnight closures to take place overnight between 8pm and 6am at weekends.

Business owners from the Red Lion and Way to the Raj in Marks Tey, the Kings Arms in Coggeshall, and the Dolphin and the Spicy Swan in Bradwell, met on Wednesday to discuss how they can work together to fight the disruption the roadworks will cause.

John Murray, the landlord of the Kings Arms in Coggeshall, says both his pub and his bed and breakfast business will suffer as a result of the ongoing roadworks.

He said: “I do appreciate that the road needs repairing and I don’t think anyone would disagree with that but what upsets me a little bit is that we were not consulted about what they are going to do.

“They should have asked us about what they are going to do before they started.

“They should have planned compensation for businesses like us into the cost of the works.

“We like to grab whatever custom we can from passing drivers, but that will be impossible for us during these roadworks.”

The road closures are part of the Highways England scheme which is making structural improvements and implementing improved safety measures on the A120.

Sam Chowdry, manager of the Way to the Raj, said: “Business is already down at this time of year and if they close the road like this it might be that we have to close the business too.

“There is no other way of getting to our business.

“It is worse because we have big events for the restaurant business like Valentine’s Day and Mother Day coming up when these roadworks are ongoing.”

The businesses are writing a joint letter asking for answers from Highways England.

Paul Martin, landlord of the Red Lion, said: “I do not see why they have got to shut it at these times.

“If they were to close a bit later it would make a big difference to businesses like us.

“The problem is once we lose customers because they go somewhere else it is very difficult to get them to come back again.”