A Hook newsagent which lost most of its business over five months last year because of maintenance work by Thames Water is demanding £3,000 compensation.

Pravin and Nina Patel, who own L and N News and Post Office on Hook Rise South, lost three quarters of their customers when Thames Water replaced the water mains along Hook Rise South between April 21 and September 9 last year.

Mr Patel said: "Some of the customers we lost during the work carried out by Thames Water have never returned." Mrs Patel said: "Our profits have fallen £100 a day since the work."

But, so far, Thames Water's legal department is only offering compensation for one week in August when they were working outside the newsagents.

The newsagent, on Hook Rise South is on a one-way section and its success relies on people being able to stop nearby and just pop in.

Consequently any closures on the road have a detrimental effect on Mr and Mrs Patel's business, making it inaccessible for their customers who travel by car.

In a letter this month to Mr and Mrs Patel, Thames Water said unless they suffered "direct and particular damage because of access problems" or other "unreasonable disturbance" directly affecting their business they would not be entitled to compensation.

Local councillor, Vicki Harris, is backing Mr and Mrs Patel's claim.

She said: "Any road works along Hook Rise South has an effect on the whole length of the road. Most people just want to park nearby and pop in."

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