Abbey View hidden

Shame to see my favourite view of Romsey’s historic Abbey become a no-go area — all part of an ambitious make-over for this part of town.
It is all part of a £500,000 plan to enhance the area by encouraging pedestrians to and traffic to share the same thoroughfare, but aiming to discourage motorists from going this way to reach the northern parts of the town.
Sounds good, but in the meantime the iconic view of the Norman Abbey, Romsey’s parish church is marred by the work taking place.
Nor are the shopkeepers in the town’s Church Street particularly happy, because the road faces up to 14 weeks of disruption, and the local paper reports that traders in the street fear shoppers will abandon the street while the work is carried out, and that will hit businesses.
Contractors say pedestrian access will be maintained and deliveries won’t be hit.
The newspaper reports that this is the first phase of a multi-million pound pln to improve three town centre streets.

Let’s hope it is all worth it at the end of the work programme!