Bradley’s Jewellers cites Low Petergate closure for a sales downturn. Roadworks near York Minster disrupted January trading.
Low Petergate shut down on January 5th, 2025, with signs appearing on New Year’s Eve. They planned to fix a sinkhole and sewer by January 31st. Kay Bradley, owner of Bradley’s, said Low Petergate usually thrives, especially with tourist visits from Friday to Monday.
The closure blocked the street, and foot traffic vanished very quickly, hurting the business. The closure went past January 31st. A cold snap and another sinkhole delayed it, eventually reopening on February 6th, when the signs came down.
Bradley said they lost momentum, especially after good December and early January sales. January for jewelers is usually slow, and the road work ruined their January plans.
The council fixed standing water issues, a fix residents and businesses desired. Michael Howard, head of highways at the council, knows Low Petergate is popular and said they tried to keep disruption low.
They kept business access open, scheduling the repairs during a quieter period. Bad weather delayed the road work, as freezing temperatures interfered with concrete. They talked to and visited local businesses often, expressing the council’s apology for the inconvenience and thanking everyone for their patience.
Bradley mentioned other road shutdowns before, occurring in February 2022, October 2022, and May 2024; the October closure lasted nine months. This taught Bradley lessons: passing foot traffic brings customers, and owners need strategies when traffic stops.
She wants to talk to other affected businesses to share ways to handle long-term work disruptions.