The council said the timing of the closure will minimise disruption
The White Hart, Alfred Gelder Street(Image: Hull Live)
Alfred Gelder Street in Hull city centre is set to be closed for essential improvement works. Despite Hull City Council saying the timing of the closure will minimise disruption, a pub on the road has raised concerns.
The council has announced a series of works on the stretch of the road between Lowgate and Drypool Bridge. From Monday, June 15, the road will be shut for ‘approximately six weeks’, the council says.
The work has been timed to coincide with the current closure of Drypool Bridge. The major city centre bridge is enduring a second lengthy closure in the past twelve months.
The bridge closed on May 27, for what is expected to be an eight-week closure. Once the bridge reopens, traffic will once again flow in both directions, albeit under traffic management.
Upon discovering the road will be closed, The White Hart pub, located on Alfred Gelder Street, has called on Hull City Council to improve its communication and to provide support plans for businesses affected by the closure. The pub say they were initially informed that only the bridge would be closed, not the entire road.
“We’re not against the work being carried out. Our frustration is with the lack of communication and the absence of any clear plan,” Matthew Appleyard, General Manager of The White Hart, said.
He added: “We’re a fully independent pub with no brewery ties or contracts behind us. That means we don’t have the financial backing that many tied pubs can rely on when times are difficult. We choose to remain independent because it allows us to support local breweries, cider makers and other independent producers, while offering our customers a unique range they won’t find elsewhere. Closures like this hit businesses like ours particularly hard.”
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The pub also raised similar concerns when the bridge closed last year. They say emergency service access is also a key concern. During last year’s closure, staff called an ambulance for a member of the public but they say the individual had to walk from the pub to Guildhall Road to reach the ambulance. Mr Appleyard added: “That experience raised serious concerns for us. With the World Cup period approaching and the street closed again, we want reassurance that there is a proper emergency access plan in place and that businesses know what it is.”
In response to the pub’s concerns, a Hull City Council spokesperson has said: “This section of the road is significantly deteriorated, and the council has a legal duty to keep it safe for motorists and cyclists. The works will also provide an additional pedestrian crossing point, improving safety and access for residents, local businesses and the museums.
“While works of this nature can cause disruption, we aim to minimise this by carrying them out during the Drypool Bridge closure. Undertaking the scheme at a later date would ultimately lead to more disruption in this area of the city. To reduce impact, we are working with our contractor, C R Reynolds, to maintain pedestrian access and access to businesses at all times.”
The spokesperson said that businesses on the street have been engaged with on “several occasions”, including at a meeting on June 4 which the leader of the council, Cllr Mike Ross, attended. The spokesperson added: “If the businesses, or residents, have any further questions or concerns, we encourage them to get in touch with us so we can provide appropriate support.”
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