The rerouting of an Oxford rail station walkway is killing footfall in Frideswide Square, traders have complained.
Rainbow & Spoon fashion boutique selling women's clothing, jewellery and accessories has been trading in the city for more than 35 years.
It managed to survive building work needed for a multi-million pound scheme to revamp the square in 2015, and then the Covid lockdown.
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Now it is facing further difficulties after Network Rail contractors Kier rerouted a walkway for pedestrians, which means very few people now walk past the shop, or nearby restaurants.
Instead, as a result of the rerouting of the walkway, shoppers pass in front of the Said Business School on the other side of the square.
The walkway was diverted as work continues on the station scheme.
Botley Road has been closed at the rail bridge since April last year, and was due to reopen in October but work has overrun, with a review due to be completed this month.
Ms Suliman-Bell said: "My footfall has been halved and I believe all the businesses on this side of the square are suffering.
"The walkway was rerouted about six to eight weeks ago and it's been a complete disaster for us.
"I've put new signs up in the square directing customers and I hope that helps."
Ms Suliman-Bell urged contractors to restore the original walkway as soon as possible, or at least give pedestrians the option of walking on the side of the square featuring the shops and restaurants.
She added: "The contractors could create a separate walkway through the Becket Street car park.
"If nothing is done we are facing the prospect of a dead Christmas."
Rainbow & Spoon is now updating its website so it can sell more clothes online while footfall is reduced.
Avtar Singh Lalpurwal, who has run Uni Food & Wine grocery store for the past 14 years, said footfall at his store was "90 per cent down" since the walkway was diverted.
The shop sells wine, beer, sweets, vapes and groceries.
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He added: "We don't deliver - we rely on passing trade and now we are not getting it.
"They should restore the original walkway so that people walk past our shop.
"If this carries on it could finish us as a business.
"The contractors should be working round the clock to get the work finished but they are not and they are not even telling us when it is going to finish."
Rail minister Lord Hendy last week assured city council leaders he is "acutely aware" of the disruption caused by the Botley Road closure.
He pledged that improvements to lighting, and access around the station area were "being developed".
In July Network Rail announced the road will not reopen as planned at the end of October, and a series of options for the scheme are now being investigated.
The Department for Transport, Network Rail, contractors Kier and the county council are expected to make an announcement later this month on how the scheme will move forward.
As part of the station scheme, the Botley Road rail bridge is being replaced, a new platform is being added to boost East West Rail links, and a new western entrance to the station will be created.
Network Rail and contractors Kier have been asked for comment.
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About the author
Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning.
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