STREET WORKS in a busy Southampton High Street have been postponed after business owners expressed their "concern" for their "trade and livelihoods" in the run up to Christmas.

The news comes after business owners in Shirley High Street received a letter from Southampton city council informing them that works were set to take place between the junction of Anglesea road to the junction of Shirley Avenue to improve the footway.

In the letter it stated that the works were scheduled to begin on November 26 and last for a period of four weeks from 7:30am and 5:30pm.

However council bosses have now decided to defer the non safety critical repairs until after the festive season.

Some critical defects are still set to be repaired in the original planned time period.

Pete Gallagher, who owns Make it Magic expressed his concerns to The Daily Echo about the original plans.

He said :"I'm highly concerned about how it will affect my trade.

"The Christmas trade is massively important to Shirley High Street.

"If the works are going on outside my shop then it will put people off of coming here.

"I have been talking with the council to try and get this done for ages.

"I want the work done as the footpaths desperately need improving but I think that they should postpone this until January."

Phil Rolf, from Jim Rolf fruit and vegetable shop also expressed his worries.

He added: "It's ridiculous, we don't need this.

"It's going to make the traffic worse and we can't afford to lose business at this time of year."

A spokesperson from Southampton city council said:"“We have listened to the concerns of the Shirley Traders Association and deferred non safety critical footway repairs to 2019.

"Safety critical defects will still be repaired before Christmas as planned.

" We will only be placing barriers around the small areas we are working on so disruption should be kept to a minimum.”

After finding out about the deferral Pete said: "I think it has been a fair compromise.

"As long as the work that is being done before Christmas is done in a manner that allows people to trade then I don't mind.

"As long as its not done outside of my business then I don't mind.

"It should be done sympathetically to the traders."

Numerous festive events will also be taking place along the high street in the run up to Christmas.

From December 1 until 22 knitted sheep will be hiding in shops.

Children are encouraged to find the sheep and find out what their names are.

You can collect the sheep hunt forms from Shirley Library, Santo Lounge or Jim Rolf's.

And all completed forms should be returned to the library.