WITH WORK due to commence on the controversial £1.6 million Market Place redevelopment any day now, the Standard has canvassed the opinions of town centre business owners.

The project will see the church side of the historic Market Place completely pedestrianised with both lanes of traffic flowing on the opposite side and will last until November.

But the plan to modernise the area has left many business owners concerned over the impact this will have on their trade.

Mark O’Neill, owner of Cirencester Antiques Centre, is anticipating 2016 to “be the worst year ever” due to the disruptions.

Among his concerns are the loss of trade, logistics of deliveries, putting bins out and assisting customers with larger purchases.

Mark relies on customers being able to pull up outside his shop to load bigger items and he said this will no longer be possible once the work has been completed.

“Cirencester works because of its independent traders, they need to come and talk to us,” he said.

“I’m not sure the scheme is completely correct and if it overruns and affects our Christmas trade I will be applying to the council for compensation.”

Mr O’Neill also felt the council had been poor in their communication, a belief echoed by the assistant manager of Goldsmiths, Stuart Mansfield, who also lives in the Market Place.

Mr Mansfield said: “The residents and shops don’t know anything [about it]. I’d have thought they would send a letter to local businesses.”

One store manager who is in favour of the plans is Phil Harvey of Pakeman, Catto & Carter, who believes the revamp could increase his trade and that the council “have got to do certain things to improve the town centre”.

But some think the extraordinary cost of the development is wasting funds that would be better spent fixing other problems that Cirencester is suffering.

Mr O’Neill is one of many who suggested a solution to Cirencester’s car parking woes is far more pressing and that it would be wiser to expand the Waterloo car park into a multi-storey.

Wendy Bobe, supervisor at Sahara, said: “Once finished it will look attractive,” however, “the potholes in the roads in and around Cirencester need sorting out.”

What are your opinions on Cirencester’s facelift? Are the plans good and will the disruption be worth it? E-mail your thoughts to jpi@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk