A LANDLORD affected by continued road closures is losing around £1,000 a week from the disruption.

Steve Pocock, landlord of the Fountain Inn at Trellech Grange, has suffered 13 weeks of road closures so far this year, with customers often unable to find him through lengthy diversions.

This disruption comes after similar closures saw roads leading to the pub shut for several months last year.

Forge Road closed in July this year as work began to replace a bridge over the River Angiddy.

Access to the pub from Trellech has also been closed for a number of weeks during the day due to re-surfacing works.

"We rely heavily on trade from holiday lets in Tintern, and this year barely anyone could find us," said Mr Pocock.

"People would call to book, but never show up as they'd obviously got lost in the diversions.

"The road should have been re-opened weeks ago but delays mean that we have missed trade through what was a warm September.

"The signs are not clear enough."

The normally busy pub serves 75 to 100 people on an average Sunday lunch time, but since the closures, numbers have dropped to between 25 and 40.

"Based on even last year's figures when the road was closed again, we are losing up to £1,000 a week this year.

"You never recover from this. You can't claw back the money you've lost.

"Even regulars who used to come to us on their way home have had to find different routes, and so have stopped

coming by."

Mr Pocock and his wife Jill described September as their worst month in the business yet, having been in the trade since 1999.

A spokesperson for Monmouthshire County Council said: "The R 94 Trellech Grange to Tintern road, known locally as Forge Road, was badly affected by the period of extreme weather that occurred towards the end of 2012.

"Weather conditions triggered a land slip and collapse of a highway retaining wall that affected the stability of the road.  Consequently, the road had to be closed to safeguard the travelling public and execute necessary repair works.

"Repair works started on 24th May 2013 and the road was re-opened in August 2013.

"Monmouthshire also experienced further severe weather in November 2013 which severely damaged the River Angiddy culvert at the junction of Forge Road and Lower Glyn Road.

"A temporary bridge was provided and the road was kept open until 14th July 2014 when permanent repair works were started. It is estimated that it will be re-opened before the end of October.

"During the replacement of the culvert the council has been mindful of the difficulties experienced by local residents and in particular the effect on the Fountain Inn.

"Officers of the council have liaised with the landlord to ensure that diversion signing is as informative as possible."