A FISHERY owner says his business has been badly hit following the closure of a bridge on the main route into the premises.

Mike Duckett, who runs the Landsend Fishery at Heath House, said business dropped by between 10 and 20 per cent following the closure of the bridge on Jack’s Drove, adding around five miles to customers’ journeys by taking a diverted route.

Commuters are given no prior warning to the road closure before arriving at the bridge, which Mr Duckett says has put many off from trying to reach the carp-stocked fishery.

He said: “It has lost me custom and I am sure our business has suffered. I don’t have any idea how long this is going to last because Nothing gets done in this day and age in the countryside, and I haven’t been contacted by anyone.

“From January to April business has been dead as a dodo. I know the weather hasn’t been the best but it has been really bad for us.

“You have got to know the other ways to get to us or you would just give up. I’ve had a lot of people ringing me asking how to get here and surely they should have put diversion signs up, people have come a long way down that road before they even know it’s blocked.”

A Somerset County Council spokesman said: “A culvert has partially collapsed and is due to be replaced this financial year. We are currently liaising with the Somerset Internal Drainage Board to agree the size of culvert needed as it is not a like-for-like replacement.”