The owner of a popular Burton restaurant has revealed that it is on the brink of closure due to the ongoing works on St Peter's Bridge in the town.

Staff at Mezbaan Indian Restaurant, in New Street, said they been hit "hard" by the bridge closure, as customers struggle to reach the eatery due to the volume of traffic surrounding the town.

The restaurant, which has been operating for two and a half years, usually has around 40 to 50 customers a night, with up to 70 on a Sunday. But this has dramatically dropped to just TWO or THREE a night since the roadworks on the bridge began.

From left: Owner Abdul Somir, 34, and manager, Ahad Uddin, 42
From left: Owner Abdul Somir, 34, and manager, Ahad Uddin, 42

Owner Abdul Somir said when the night the bridge work began on Tuesday, August 29, the restaurant had just two customers walk through its doors - and it had been the same story since.

The roadworks are due to last until the end of November, with Mr Somir saying he does not see how the restaurant can carry on.

The 34-year-old said: "We don't know what's going to happen to us because it's so bad. We were fantastic on the Sunday and Monday, but as soon as they started work on the bridge on the Tuesday, it's been dead up until now.

The restaurant in New Street
The restaurant in New Street

"We haven't got a problem with them doing work on the bridge; we understand it needs doing. But it's absolutely killing us. We do delivery too and it's damaging our reputation; our customers are getting their food late. We just can't do it."

Last month, highways bosses at Staffordshire County Council announced plans to close St Peter's Bridge in Stapenhill for three months, to replace "life-expired" rusty bearings which are vital to the safety structure of the bridge.

Burton has seen major tailbacks over the last few weeks as residents attempt to find alternative routes around the town. Mr Somir has also been forced to cut staff hours just to stay afloat, he said.

The inside of Mezbaan
The inside of Mezbaan

He said: "How long can we survive like this? Since they started work it's been dead. It's been disastrous. It's hit our pocket really, really hard. We need to shut down for three months more than anything because of the way it's going.

The owner, who lives in Birmingham, fears his loyal customers may start visiting other accessible diners over the next few months.

He said: "Our regular customers might start going to other restaurants because they can't reach us and carry on going there; we can't afford that. We haven't got anyone coming through the doors. It's a record breaker.

"Who's going to pay for the rents? Who's going to pay for the rates? It's so bad; there's no point in even being open. I'm going to honestly say that. It's never been this bad.

Work has begun on St Peter's Bridge

"The council need to get people working day and night on that bridge, so it would be finished in one and a half months instead of three. Then small businesses like us wouldn't suffer."

Work on St Peter's Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of November. Taxi firms in the town have told how drivers are leaving their jobs because the roadworks have made it too difficult to work. Firms have also put up their prices to cover costs of sitting in the roadworks.

Burton firm Haynes Furnishers, in High Street, has said customers are staying away due to the works as they refuse to queue in the tailbacks in and out of town.

The Burton Mail has been inundated with comments from motorists in the town telling of their anger and frustration over the works.

The £6.1 million scheme to replaced bearings needs to be done or the bridge, which is main route in and out of town, risks having to have a weight restriction imposed on it.

Looking for a job? There are thousands available at www.Fish4.co.uk