The co-owner of a Gateshead pub fears the business could go under after a railway company put metal fencing up outside their entrance, allegedly causing them to lose trade.
Doug Musgrove is furious after Station East, at the end of the High Level Bridge, was fenced off by Network Rail. The 60-year-old said they have blocked the door to the pub on Hills Street and they have lost customers as a result.
He has claimed that more than half of the pub's trade has been lost and they had to close early on Wednesday night as it was empty. He said he has raised the issue with Network Rail and Gateshead Council but nothing has been done.
Network Rail is repairing and strengthening the High Level Bridge and the work is scheduled to be finished in November. They said access to Station East is still available and they will reduce the fencing as soon as they can.
Doug, from Crawcrook, Gateshead, said: "There's no income, we have got less than 50% of the normal turnover. If we get two months of this we are closing the doors. We have got parties and music and if people can't get in there they're not going to come.
"It's not good, we're nearly at the end of our tether. We don't seem to be getting any help from Network Rail or Gateshead Council. Nobody wants to actually find a solution. No one seems to want to stand up and say we will help the little business."
Doug took over the pub with Edward Robson in January this year. They were forced to close just two weeks later after the roof blew off during Storm Malik. Doug said they have also had to contend with the road being closed for alterations.
He said: "It's just one thing after another. We have just started getting back on our feet and now this has happened. Last week was a great week and on Monday we came in to this. When I saw it on Monday I thought it was ridiculous because they had put the barriers right up to the handrail in front of the pub - they have blocked the whole access off.
"Two days ago, we had people who still wanted to get in who climbed through the fence. But we can't have people climbing through fence. Last night we had to close early because there was no one in. We're missing all our evening trade."
Doug said people are walking straight past the pub because they can't access it or they believe it is closed to the building work. He said: "People start off at the Axis, go to the Microbus and The Central and walk towards the Metro or Gateshead. We see people come out of the Microbus and say 'well we can't get in' so they walk straight past us.
"We're open but if it doesn't resolve by the weekend we're just going to have to close the doors and see if we can take legal action against Network Rail. There's no sympathy whatsoever from Gateshead Council, we have been hung out to dry and this isn't the first time. Gateshead Council wants a coffee culture. They're more interested in pushing the Quayside - they are more helpful to them.
"I really need somebody to make a decision and make it quickly. It's had such a massive effect on our turnover we will be closing the doors."
Michael Clegg, East Coast Route Engineer for Network Rail said: "We’re incredibly sorry for the impact that our work is currently having on the Station East pub and its customers. Whilst access is still available, we appreciate that the fencing may look uninviting.
"We’re completing major work to repair and strengthen the bridge, and the scaffolding is essential for keeping the public and our teams safe. We’re working with Gateshead Council to review the amount of fencing in place, and will reduce it as soon as we can. We’ll also be installing signs to let people know that business is still open as usual."
Gateshead Council said the fencing is a "temporary installation" to safely store scaffolding fixtures until they can be erected. They said the scaffolding build is scheduled to take place on Friday July, 21 and should be completed within the day, after which the temporary fencing in front of the premises will be removed.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: "This work will restore access to the Station East public house via a walkway through the scaffold that will link with the footpath in front of the premises. In addition a ramp will also be installed to aid disabled access."
‘They said 'open as usual’ signage was installed by the contractor during the first phase of the work at the request of Gateshead Council and there will be additional signage erected as part of this new phase of work.
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