Mannetti’s, in Lendal, York, hits out at ongoing work in city centre

Marie Milburn, a director at Mannetti’s, in Lendal, said customers are being put off from walking along the street due to the work, which has had a huge financial impact on the business.

On one day, she said, the café had taken less than £5.

The work has closed the side of the pavement the café is on to pedestrians and means the café cannot offer outside seating for customers – something it relies on heavily to turn a profit.

Mannetti's before and during the work (Image: Dylan Connell)

As reported by The Press, Marie raised concerns ahead of the work starting.

• 'This will kill us' - York café boss hits out at council for closing road

She feared the work, which has closed Lendal for six weeks, would have a significant impact on the business.

The director also hit out at the council for not giving any notice to business owners on the street about the closure.

Mannetti's has taken the decision to close until June 3 (Image: Dylan Connell)

Now, Marie has said that since the work started the problem has got “10 times worse”.

“Our trade one day was less than £5,” she said.

The director also said she has been told by the contractors that the road is to be closed for a further two weeks, which will only place further strain on the café.

“We are potentially going to go under,” she said.

The work outside Mannetti's (Image: Dylan Connell)

The café, which is run by Marie's daughter, Kate Milburn, has taken the decision to close from today (May 22) and is to reopen on Saturday, June 3.

Marie said this decision was taken because of the financial blow the business has felt due to a lack of footfall on Lendal during the work.

She explained how the street has been closed on three bank holidays and during the school half term.

“That’s gold dust for us,” she said.

Read next:

• Anti-terrorism bollards appear in York as Labour pledges to reverse blue badge ban
• Permanent anti-terrorism barriers to be installed in York city centre
• York high street boss hits out at ongoing work in city centre

Marie previously told The Press how Mannetti's opened in 2019 and has just started to turn a profit after navigating the pandemic and rising energy costs

Despite attempts by the director, Marie said there has still been no contact from City of York Council.

“This (work) should not have been allowed this time of the year,” she said.

“It’s just not on.”

Work underway in Lendal (Image: Dylan Connell)

She has called on the council to take action and help businesses that are struggling due to the work to install the bollards, which has also closed High Petergate.

The bollards were first announced earlier this year by the Liberal Democrat-Green coalition running City of York Council to combat the threat of ‘vehicle as weapon attacks’.

In May the Liberal Democrat-Green coalition was voted out of office and replaced by the Labour Party.

David Skaith, director of the York High Street Forum, said he visited Mannetti’s this morning (May 22) to discuss how the work is impacting the business.

David Skaith (Image: Supplied)

“I think the fact a business has decided to close for a period of time would suggest how bad trade has been due to this work, that’s a huge decision to make but one that can be fully understood,” he said.

Read more from David here.

• David Skaith hits out at ongoing work in York city centre

City of York Council has been approached by The Press for a comment, which will be published when it has been received.