A Harrogate charity shop and garden centre saw its takings plummet to just £3 last Monday because of roadworks outside.

The road was closed temporarily and some drivers were turned away, even though the shop, which can take up to £350 in a day,  was billed as open for businesses as usual.

Steve Scarre (pictured), chairman of the Horticap charity that runs the shop and garden centre, urged drivers to insist they be allowed to access the shop if workmen try to prevent them.

He said the roadworks could result in a loss of up to £5000 if things continued.

“‘We rely on income from the sale of goods in our shop and tea room, but we’ve had no passing trade because we’ve had no passing traffic,” her said. “The roadworks are causing deadlock in Harrogate; it’s not a good situation. I understand that the road needs doing, but we could have had more notice, and it could have been managed better.”

 He has urged shoppers to continue to come because, despite ‘road ahead closed’ signs, people can still drive into the shop car park. “There is an arrangement for anybody wants to go to Horticap and the contractors have been helpful in the main.”

Horticap provides adults with learning disabilities training in horticulture, crafts and rural skills.

A North Yorkshire County Council spokesman said: ‘I am very mindful of the effect which the road closure is having on this very worthy charity. If there were a way to carry out this major road repair without a road closure we would do it.”