A DESPERATE Greenock shop owner has told how she struggles to take in £20 in a DAY and has lost £10K so far this year as a direct result of 'huge' disruption caused by the redevelopment work on West Blackhall Street.

Greenock Telegraph: Hassia Chalmers of Sovereign Jewellers, West Blackhall Street. Image George Munro Hassia Chalmers of Sovereign Jewellers, West Blackhall Street. Image George Munro (Image: George Munro)

Hassia Chalmers, who owns long established bespoke jewellers Sovreign, has warned that her business will not survive the £3.2 million project to improve the street - which is not due to complete until the autumn.

READ MORE: Greenock teen charity champ Skye McCabe scoops third award

Hassia - who has had her shop for the last 26 years - says that passing trade has disappeared and loyal customers are staying away to avoid the 'obstacle course' in a shopping street that has already suffered years of decline.

She is now calling for council action to compensate businesses like hers which are facing closure as a result of the major infrastructure changes aimed at saving the town centre.

Greenock Telegraph: West Blackhall Street Greenock with Hassia Chalmers

Hassia, 64, said: "I won't survive this disruption, that is the bottom line.

"I am losing money every single day and it can't go on. I opened one day and took in £20. I have had days where there are no people walking in at all.

"Since the start of the year I have easily lost £10,000. That is a lot of money for a small business. We can't keep that up for long. I specialise in bespoke jewellery and repairs.

"Most of my customers are the older generation. But they are not going to come into West Blackhall Street when it looks like this.

"It is an absolute disgrace, the place is noisy, it is a mess and it is not a good shopping experience. People cannot wait to get away.

"On top of that people are worried about getting parked, getting back to their cars in time or face charges.

"They'd have been better spending the money investing in the actual shops and funding car parking in the town centre.

"I have tried to contact the council, but no one gets back to me, no-one has come in to see me.

"But I think we should be compensated in some way, if they want shops still to be open when this work is finished."

The Tele told last month how West Blackhall Street traders have set up a petition to put pressure on the council to act over the huge slump in trade.

READ MORE: Covid-19 vaccination bus visits Inverclyde next week

The project is being funded by Inverclyde Council and active travel organisation Sustrans Scotland through their Places for Everyone scheme, with a contribution from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).

Part of the project will see the street opened up with existing roads layouts replaced with a single one-way system straight through from Westburn Street to Grey Place to simplify access for cars and parking down one side of the street only.

There are also plans for street furniture including benches, and parking spaces will be replaced with a cycle lane.

The work is expected to continue for months more and last into the autumn.

Since Hassia first opened Sovereign with her late husband Drew in the late 1990s the store has been part of the community, supporting fundraisers including Tommy 'the Clown' Armstrong.

At that time she says the street was a busy, bustling high street and they were open six days a week.

Hassia added: "Saturdays were our busiest day, but when the retail parks opened the shoppers disappeared.

"I open four days a week now, Tuesday to Friday, but my hours are reduced as well. There is no point keeping my doors open after 3pm."

"To be honest I think it is too late, I don't think this work will make a difference and I don't see what good it will do. They can fix outside but the shops are empty. We have no chance with a retail park in Port Glasgow, and Braehead just up the motorway.

"You can drive right in and park your car, spend as much time as you want there with no limits on parking."

Previously Inverclyde Council defended the disruptions and asked for 'everyone to share in our positive vision'.

The local authority said last month: “We appreciate the West Blackhall Street project will cause some disruption however we are making a £3.2million investment in what is Greenock’s traditional high street to encourage more people to visit this area and improve it for everyone, including traders."

The coucil stated that the project was developed following several public consultations with residents, traders and partners.