WORRIED farm butcher David Kirk says work to replace electricity cables has seen his takings slashed by half.

David runs his farm shop in Styal, and contacted the Guardian to tell us about the major cost to his business of the roadworks in Styal Road.

The works are being undertaken by Electricity North West, which is replacing five kilometres of underground cables between Alderley and Wilmslow at a cost of £1.7 million.

The power company says the work is urgently needed to secure supplies for 22,000 homes and businesses in Wilmslow, Handforth, Chelford and Alderley.

David accepts that the works might be needed, but said they could not have come at a worse time as he was already taking orders for Christmas.

“The road closure has resulted in a reduction of half my trade,” said David.

“I accept the work may be needed, but however important it is I get no compensation for my business loss.

“Moreover the closure could not have come at a worse time of the year, as I am already taking orders for Christmas.”

David provides the usual festive turkeys and game, but also expects many orders for pies, beef, ham, tongue and sausages, which are home-made or cured.

“The closure was expected to last for 12 weeks, but it will now be December before the road reopens, and I am very concerned, as this kind of work often overruns,” he added.

“The contractors have recently been persuaded to put up notices saying that it is ‘business as usual,’ but one sign is at the junction with Station Road and can only be seen when shoppers are already in Styal and a few hundred yards away from my shop.”

Signs stating it is ‘business as usual’ at S and D Kirk have been put up in Manchester Road and Stanneylands Road.

David has been running his butchers farm shop on the Peacock Farm in Hollin Lane for 30 years.

He hopes that business can pick up in December and that he can catch up on the usual quantity of Christmas orders.