CIRENCESTER is losing out on business deals because of the poor state of the roundabouts that greet visitors when entering the town.

Following a story about the town’s roundabouts last week, the Standard has been made aware of a deal that fell through due to one of the interested parties being put off by the untidy condition of Cirencester’s inner ring road and roundabouts.

Pip Finch, a graphic designer, told the Standard how she encountered problems when trying to commission an illustrator to draw a map of the town that would be featured in a brochure.

She said: “As the illustrator didn’t come from Cirencester it would have been useful if he had visited so that he would understand where I meant when I mentioned landmarks.

“Unfortunately he had come to Cirencester a couple of months before I was briefing him on the job. He had failed to make it into the town centre as the ring road had put him off.

“I think Cirencester is finally turning into a wonderful place but it’s like decorating a room and not having any skirting boards. It needs the finishing touches.”

The entrance to Cirencester has also been criticised by the president of the town’s Chamber of Commerce who said that the visual appearance is “incredibly important” in creating a positive experience.

Anthony Flynn, president of the Cirencester Chamber of Commerce, said: “Today’s shoppers and visitors can be fickle, especially at this time of year when you would expect all towns to be making a special effort to look their best.

“We need the authorities to work with us and understand that while the town has an interesting history, that isn’t enough to convince today’s shoppers and business people that Cirencester is a place with the future on its mind.”

A new venture between Cirencester Town Council and Gloucestershire County Council will see the two authorities taking joint care of the roundabout on the A419 London Road in the Corinium Via estate.