Traders in Looe are worried about how they will survive the beginning of 2011 after a ten-week road closure was announced. Cornwall Council has sent letters to shop owners in the town informing them of essential drainage works planned for January 17 to March 31.

Fore Street, the main road through East Looe town centre, will be restricted to pedestrian access between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, during the closure.

The owner of Morrells Bistro, Derek Morrell, who is worried the works could run over schedule, said: 'We rely on people walking down the road and looking at the menu. I cannot see people walking down this way while the work is carried out. I don't want to stop the work from happening, but I can't see how we are going to survive.'

Fore Street will be closed from the traffic lights at Barclays Bank to the junction with Higher Market Street.

Full report in this week's Cornish Times.