BUSINESS owners are demanding better signs when the A64 shuts twice more next month, after custom plummeted during the recent closure.

A section of the key route through Ryedale was closed over the weekend of October 20 and 21, between Whitwell-on-the-Hill and Malton to allow for major repairs to begin.

The owners of cafes, restaurants and pubs alongside the road say they lost thousands of pounds worth of business, partially because of poor signposting of the road closure.

Neville Flowitt, owner of the Four Alls Inn, said he lost almost £2,000 in revenue, with no prospect of any compensation.

“My car park at 2pm on Sunday was empty, when it would normally be full at that time,” he said.

“It’s just unfair. We appreciate the roadworks have to be done, but the signs could be so much better.

“Electronic signs on the A1 were saying the A64 was closed east of York when it wasn’t closed until you get to Crambeck, about 10 miles along the road from York.”

John Thompson, owner of Thompson’s Fish and Chips, said it was normally thriving but the road closure had “an absolutely massive impact” on it.

“By 3pm on a Sunday, we would normally have served about 500 customers, but on Sunday we had only served about 150,” he said, adding that highways officials should put up signs telling motorists that local businesses were open as usual when the A64 shuts again on November 10 and 11 and November 17 and 18.

Paul Rhodes, owner of the Highwayman cafe, said motorists approaching the A64 Hopgrove roundabout from Monks Cross were deterred from turning left up the A64 towards Malton by cones placed across a lane. “It was very poorly organised,” he claimed.

Highways England said it was repairing the road’s concrete foundation, which was nearly one metre below the surface, and the road had to close so all the layers could be re-built.

A spokesman said diversion routes were agreed with the local authority and police and were the most suitable to cope with all traffic – in particular HGVs and caravans.

“This sometimes means that diversion routes begin further back than the exact road closure point,” she said.

“The A64 in this location is a single carriageway and traffic is therefore instead diverted from the Hopgrove roundabout to avoid vehicles attempting to turn round in tight areas or using routes which are not suitable.”

She said Highways England was reviewing how the closure went to see if any improvements could be in place before the next one, adding: “We will take on board comments from businesses to see if any changes can be made to the signage.”