Gas works hit new Southsea salon

Southsea groomer Maria Devine, owner of The Pit Stop Groom Room, says gas works are resulting in a decline in customers.

Devine opened her Eastney Road salon two-and-a-half months ago, but SGN works to upgrade the local network have completely shut a key road in Southsea and brought her business to a standstill.

She told The News: “It seemed to be going exactly how I hoped it would, better than most. That’s now just completely stopped.”

Devine added: “The day the roadworks started on that section of Eastney, trade has almost ceased.”

The works are due to last seven weeks and Devices is worried about whether she can pay for the unit.

She told The News: “I’m paying out and receiving very little back. As the business is so new, this could be the thing that completely breaks it, and I can’t afford to keep it.

“It’ll spread by word of mouth and it will grow, but it’s too new to stop dead like this. There is nothing to fall back on. As it stands, the lack of people around is the major problem.”

Bradley Barlow, SGN spokesman, told The News that the temporary closure has been put in place “for everyone’s safety” around the work area. He added that pedestrians and cyclists can still get around, diversion signs are in place for motorists, and residents can still access businesses.

“We have made excellent progress and we plan to remove our road closure earlier than planned once road resurfacing work has been completed,” he said.