Trade at cake shop is crumbling underfoot

A Morecambe shop owner says she has been dealt a '¨double whammy with '¨pavement works outside her shop and on the next street all but decimating trade.
Margaret Driver, owner of Jerome Celebrations Cakes.Margaret Driver, owner of Jerome Celebrations Cakes.
Margaret Driver, owner of Jerome Celebrations Cakes.

Margaret Driver, who has run Jerome Celebration Cakes on Euston Road for 10 years, but has had a cake business in the area for 32 years, said: “I can’t understand why one lot of pavement works was going on at the same time as another lot on Queen Street. This has been going on for ever. My takings are so low but I have the same overheads.

“They didn’t tell me they were doing any work until I saw the yellow sign outside my shop. Business is so bad in Morecambe as it is, people just won’t come in.

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“I’ve only had two customers this morning and this has been going on for four months.”

Margaret told The Visitor she was working 14 to 15 hours a day to do all the work because she can’t afford to pay people.

She said: “It’s just horrendous, I don’t know where my next penny is coming from.A small business relies on passing trade and there is no one. There was nothing wrong with the pavements in the first place, the money could have been spent better elsewhere.”

Coun Janice Hanson, Cabinet member with responsibility for economic regeneration, said: “Regenerating Morecambe, and in particular the town centre, is a key priority for the city council. These works, along with the other successful improvements to the town centre and seafront, will bring long term benefits to businesses by improving trading conditions and increasing footfall.

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“Newsletters were sent to businesses in November last year and this January, providing information on the works, along with an invitation to view the plans at Morecambe Town Hall. Information was also placed on our website and communicated via the local media, including The Visitor.

“In addition, County Highways wrote to individual businesses, and erected signage in January, advising that the works were due to start.

“We’re sorry for any disruption while this work is ongoing, however access to individual businesses during trading hours has been maintained throughout.”

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