Driven out of town

A NANTWICH shop owner, who is taking legal action against Muller Property Holdings following a nightmare 18 months of declining trade, has sold her business.

Linda Bonner made the decision to sell Albus, in Church Lane, following more than a year of falling sales.

Although selling the designer baby clothes shop was an option she had previously considered, Mrs Bonner said her hand had been forced by a nightmare 18 months since Muller began redeveloping the Lamb Hotel in Hospital Street.

As reported exclusively in the Nantwich Guardian earlier this year, Mrs Bonner is now seeking compensation from the property developer for loss of earnings.

She said: "I don't want people to think that I've decided to sell just because of the development work.

"I have been thinking about this for some time. But the 18 months since the work began has been the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I could no longer cope with the stress of the daily disruption and the hassle.

"It was beginning to affect my health and has forced my hand.

"Over the last 18 months, trade has been abysmal, and at times it has been impossible to access the shop.

"People with babies in pushchairs, the backbone of my custom, just wouldn't risk bringing their babies down Church Lane, and during the last few months, I collected pages of comments from customers verifying this."

Since the work began, access through Church Lane has been very difficult and sometimes impossible, especially for the elderly and mothers with pushchairs.

Mrs Bonner said she was forced to telephone Muller on three occasions after barriers were put across the shop door, preventing people from entering and leaving.

She also said a lorry generator had pumped diesel fumes and carbon monoxide into her shop, workers had emptied site toilets outside her door, and one day, she was unable to open because access to Church Lane was completely blocked.

Mrs Bonner, who has owned Albus for 11 years, said her decision to sell would allow her to pursue her case more vigorously.

She added: "I would like to say a heartfelt 'thank you' to my loyal customers who did brave the barricades."

New shop owner Amanda Pond said: "It's a pain in the backside, and people do moan about it.

"I'm looking forward to the day when the work is done and I can start re-doing the shop."

Muller Property Holdings did not wish to comment on Mrs Bonner's case.