TRADERS on a shopping parade hit by roadworks have welcomed a motion forcing the council to reconsider an offer of compensation.

Shopkeepers along the Broadway, in Loughton, have also started a petition to put pressure on Epping Forest District Council to offer them a rent rebate after disruptive enhancement works earlier this year affected their trade.

Owner of P.A. Sparks & Sons grocers, and Debden Traders Association chairman Peter Sparks said: “All the shopkeepers have been affected by an average of a 30 per cent loss in trade.I would certainly hope they would reconsider.”

Shopkeepers have already succeeded in gaining a 25 per cent reduction in rates after taking the council to a tribunal.

Owner of Broadway hairdressers Blow Your Top Arnold Burman has been helping raise a petition among shopkeepers calling for help with rent.

He said: “Some of us are really in trouble. It's horrible that they're giving with one hand but taking with the other. Some of these councillors sit behind a desk and they don't know what it's like to run a small shop in these times.”

Mr Burman also blasted the council for allowing free parking on one side of The Broadway but not the other adding: “It's absolutely infuriating."

Loughton district councillor Ken Angold-Stephens has confirmed he now has enough support to force a call-in of the cabinet's original decision not to offer compensation.

He said: “The ruling group has said it was too expensive. We dispute their figures. It is affordable and the traders do deserve better. It's only reasonable they should get a reduction in their rent.”

The district council's cabinet had originally said a deferment scheme would be too expensive and potentially cost up to £156,219.

Loughton Broadway Town Centre Partnership chairman Dave Stannard said: “Hopefully we'll get the council to reconsider their decision. The traders feel very let down.”