News Beat
Britain’s ‘favourite farm shop’ threatened by huge four-year motorway closure
A BELOVED British farm shop is under threat from plans to close a busy motorway junction for four years.
Westmorland Farmshop and Kitchen, at Tebay Services on the M6, claims disruption caused by the project will see a decline in visitors.
The business fears a drop in footfall could in turn put it and its 400 staff at risk.
Sarah Dunning, whose parents established Westmorland services, told The Telegraph the closure would “simply not be allowed to happen” in other parts of the country.
“Nobody is disputing that the bridges need replacing but this is going to hurt businesses, residents and farmers who use the junction as part of their everyday life,” Sarah said.
“Over the course of four years or more, people are going to change their travel habits – and for businesses, that could be not just damaging but final.”
National Highways says the closure is needed to replace eight bridges over a five-mile stretch of the M6.
Work is due to start next spring with the north and southbound carriageways each closing for two years.
While Tebay services has its own access roads, Sarah said she is concerned they will become clogged with traffic, preventing the 100 staff required on each shift from getting to work.
A study has indicated the works will cost the local economy £10m and lead to the loss of 150 jobs in isolated villages.
Losses to farms are estimated at more than £400,000 and will render some no longer viable, the study suggests.
No compensation is payable since the project concerns repairs rather than new infrastructure.
Tebay was rated Britain’s second-best service station by The Telegraph last year – only Gloucester Services on the M5, also owned by Ms Dunning’s family, ranked higher.
