BUSINESSES are counting the cost of a water main burst and a spate of road closures across west Hampshire.

Lockerley Green Stores in Lockerley and the Star Inn at nearby East Tytherley lost trade as customers could not get to their premises.

It began two weeks ago when an eight-inch water main fractured on the Lockerley to East Tytherley road outside the Star Inn leaving a 13ft crater in the road’s surface.

Water board officials were forced to close the road for fears of further collapse in the surface and allow engineers to carry out emergency repairs.

Added to both the shop and pub’s misery, Dean Hill Level Crossing at East Dean was also closed between Lockerley and Awbridge.

Lockerley Green Stores owner Brian Shaw said: “We’ve lost thousands of pounds in trade because of the water burst and road closures in the area.

“Our takings were 60 to 70 per cent down on some days. Hardly anybody could get to us.”

Fay Woods and Reg Reid who run the Star Inn at East Tytherley also saw a drop in trade.

Carpet in the pub’s skittle alley was damaged by water from the burst main.

Reg said: “The burst was right outside the pub and water from it ruined the carpet in the skittle alley and the car park was turned into a mud bath by vehicles using it to turn around because of the road closure.

“We must have lost several thousand pounds because of the loss of custom when all this was going on. Even the postman had to drive five miles to deliver to a house on the other side of the road closure.”

He said that Southern Water has agreed to replace the damaged carpet and repair the car park.

Richard Wells who lives next door to the pub, said his drive had been “lifted up” in places by the pressure of water that escaped from the burst main.

He said: “We’ve had to park on the road. Southern Water has agreed to repair the first metre of the drive,” said Richard.

He added that the fractured main left a “huge” crater in the road.

A Southern Water spokesperson said: “We’d like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this burst.

“The eight-inch water main has now been repaired and the road was reopened.

“Discussions with affected customers are continuing.

“Water mains can burst at any time for a number of reasons but are particularly prone to bursting in freezing weather, as when the ground freezes it moves and can cause pipes to crack.

“A burst does not mean the entire length of pipe needs replacing, and there are no plans to do so here.”