BUSINESSES are counting the cost of a water main burst and a spate of road closures in Test Valley villages.

Lockerley Green Stores in Lockerley and the Star Inn at nearby East Tytherley lost trade as a result of customers being unable to reach their premises.

Their nightmare began two weeks ago when an eight-inch water main fractured on the Lockerley to East Tytherley road outside the Star leaving a 13ft crater in the road’s surface.

Water board officials were forced to close the road for fears of further collapse in the surface and to allow engineers to carry out emergency repairs to the broken pipe.

Adding to both the shop and pub’s misery, Dean Hill Level Crossing at East Dean was also closed for a time along with Romsey Road between Lockerley and Awbridge – all vital routes for potential customers.

And on one day the Lockerley to Mottisfont road was shut because of an accident leaving all but one route into the village blocked.

Lockerley Green Stores owner Brian Shaw said: “It’s been horrendous for us and we’ve lost thousands of pounds in trade because of the water burst and road closures in the area.

“Our takings were 60 to 70 per cent down on some days. Hardly anybody could get to us. The Tytherley road was closed for a week because of the burst water main. It was really bad.”

Mr Shaw said that deliveries to the shop were badly affected and the road closure also took its toll on newspaper deliveries.

And Fay Woods and Reg Reid who run the Star Inn at East Tytherley also saw a big drop in trade and carpet in the pub’s skittle alley was damaged by water from the burst main.

Reg said: “The burst was right outside the pub and water from it ruined the carpet in the skittle alley and the car park was turned into a mud bath by vehicles using it to turn around because of the road closure.

“We must have lost several thousand pounds because of the loss of custom.

“Even the postman had to drive five miles to deliver to a house on the other side of the road closure. We ended up lending him a pushbike to get through instead of having to drive all the way round. I am glad it’s all back to normal.”

He said that Southern Water has agreed to replace the damaged carpet and repair the car park.

Richard Wells, who lives next door the pub, said his drive has been “lifted up” in places by the pressure of water that escaped.

Richard, who is a composer, said he had been unable to use his drive for a week.

“We’ve had to park on the road. Southern Water has agreed to repair the first metre of the drive,” said Richard.

This was the third burst water main in the area within the last couple of years. A Southern Water spokesperson said: “We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this burst.”

She said the water main has now been repaired and the road was reopened on Thursday (January 29) and discussions with affected customers were continuing.

“Water mains can burst at any time for a number of reasons but are particularly prone to bursting in freezing weather, as when the ground freezes it moves and can cause pipes to crack. A burst does not mean the entire length of pipe needs replacing, and there are no plans to do so here,” she said.