Traders' concern over marketplace works

Businesses in Richmond have said work on the marketplace's cobbles is causing a downturn in trade.

Part of the area has been blocked off since 7 September as the cobbles are relaid and car park markings are renewed, with the work expected to last until the end of November.

Helen Newall, who owns The Little Dress Shop, said she believed her turnover was down 50% based on the previous month and September 2025.

North Yorkshire Council said it recognised that roadworks could create challenges but improvements in Richmond Market Place were necessary "to preserve and enhance the highway".

"I obviously know that the cobble works need to be done and I appreciate that," Newall said.

"I wouldn't want to see the cobbles going anywhere because it's part of the town and heritage and it just brings visitors to the town."

She said she would have liked more communication from the council.

"The first sort of thing I knew about it was the downturn in footfall to the town," she said.

"The town was really quiet and then obviously I saw that the cobble works were being done and then just a general downturn in sales and turnover based on last month as in August and going back to last September as well.

"It's probably about 50%."

Caroline Clark, who co-owns Larches of Richmond on Rosemary Lane, said she believed her takings were down 40% compared to the same month in 2025.

She said more notice of the work would have helped.

"It's frustrating because we should have been given a bit more information, heads up that it was going to happen and we could forewarn this to our customers and just let them know that we're still open," she said.

"Just not quite sure why it's going to take 12 weeks."

She was surprised the council had opted to do the work at this time of year.

"The run-up to Christmas, for you as a business, is there a better time that, you know, they could have done that work?

"January, when it's always a bit quiet everywhere, with restaurants and footfall, it's always a bit quiet in January."

A council spokesperson said: "The improvements in Richmond Market Place, which is one of the largest cobbled market squares in England, are necessary to preserve and enhance the highway.

"Carrying out these repairs now will help to prevent the state of the cobbles worsening and reduce the need for more extensive and costly works in the future."

They said the authority always worked to minimise disruption, but said some "inconvenience was unavoidable".

"We appreciate people's patience and our teams are working to complete the improvements as quickly and safely as possible."

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