A BUSINESS owner blighted by roadworks in Frideswide Square has revealed she is closing down her firm for three weeks and wants a rethink on 24-hour a-day works.

Owner of Rainbow and Spoon boutique Amanda Suliman-Bell said trade has dropped by almost half since roadworks began at the square in February.

She will shut at the end of this week, as the tourist season comes to a close.

Ms Suliman-Bell said: “I’ll re-open mid-September. I’m doing this in order to hold off my stock. Why open if I’m not going to see anyone? Since the works started trade went almost completely. We have suffered enough and we are just waiting for it to end.”

The shop owner is going to spend the weeks she is closed wisely, by emailing her suppliers, refreshing the shop and giving the walls a new paint-job.

Oxfordshire County Council is expecting the scheme to be end by December, but Ms Suliman-Bell does not believe this is good enough.

She added: “I’m also thinking of going around the other shops to ask if anybody would mind if they (the road workers) did 24 hours work. Anyone who works in retail knows that Christmas starts in October, and if you haven’t done Christmas before November then you’ve missed the season.

“They ruined Christmas last year by doing all the roads coming into Oxford. Please don’t let it happen again.”

A spokeswoman for Oxfordshire County Council said: “All shops and businesses on Frideswide Square are accessible and we have put up numerous signs and banners to ensure customers are aware of this while the work is being done.

“We have been keen throughout the work to positively promote the fact that the businesses are there and very much open and accessible, and will continue to keep in touch with the business owners.

“As the work continues to progress, we hope people who travel through the area will see what is on offer in the shops, restaurants and other businesses.”