THE owner of a tea rooms which has found itself almost completely surrounded by road closures has expressed his frustrations at being left in the dark over changes to a major highways project.

The Old Station Tea Rooms at Holmsley has suffered significantly since the work started on replacing the nearby road bridge.

The popular venue is located next to the A35 in the New Forest, where Hampshire County Council has contracted engineers to carry out the £5.5million Holmsley bridge replacement.

Bournemouth Echo: The Old Station Tea RoomsThe Old Station Tea Rooms

To allow the work to take place, the A35 has been closed in both directions, as has the C10, which runs underneath the main road, for months.

This has left the Old Station Tea Rooms only accessible from Burley, with complicated diversions in place.

Paul Jensen, who has owned the tea rooms since 2014, said "nothing came close" to the current challenge his business was facing.

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"We get calls from people regularly saying they have made a booking but they can't work out the diversions so they are going to have to cancel," said Mr Jensen.

"People are trying to get here but it is 10 or 15 miles out the way and an extra half an hour to get here."

He added: "With half term this week there have been the first signs or glimmers of trade coming back but it just not there. It is quite soul destroying really.

"It just hasn't picked up. Winter can be quiet but it has been on another level."

Bournemouth Echo: Closure of the C10Closure of the C10

Facing three months of minimal trade, Mr Jensen scrapped plans for a refurbishment of the tea rooms.

"We had a great summer with a lot of people coming to the New Forest," he said. "I had a plan to refurbish inside and an idea for improving the building but I can't do it now because all the money is going on just surviving a period of three months with no trade. All of that headway last year has gone."

Mr Jensen, 53, has made every effort to help customers plot a route to the venue, including moving the business's location on Google so the company's map software provides a useable route.

He said communication in the planning of stage of the work had been good, as had liaising with engineers on site, but as preparation ramped up the goalposts were moved with the change to full road closures.

"We all understand it is work that needs doing and it is for the greater good but we have not been able to plan or have an understanding of what is going ahead," said Mr Jensen.

Bournemouth Echo: Road closure of the C10 under the A35 Holmsley BridgeRoad closure of the C10 under the A35 Holmsley Bridge

"I think we had two weeks' notice and that was by a piece of A4 paper through the door, where as in the past Hampshire County Council communicated with us directly.

"It is really upsetting because you would try and plan for it and then you have it all taken away."

The business owner, who employees six full-time and around half a dozen part-time staff, said Mother's Day was the busiest day in the year.

Hampshire County Council has said "special provision will be made" on March 27 to make it easier for customers. The road closures are due to come to an end on April 8.

"If it hits into a busier period it is just unthinkable," said Mr Jensen. "I have been told they are doing everything they can to get it done by Easter.

"For me and the business here, when we get to Mother's Day it means we have survived another year because the winter is quiet.

"This half term is normally the little boost to get you through to that. You have these little kicks but it hasn't been one at all. We had the good summer and we will get through.

"I am absolutely committed to having the business open every day. I have always said you can't take any money if you are not open.

"We are not going to close. We will just keeping sending out the message that we are open."