Business owners in areas along the M25 diversion route have had to make cuts to their services in anticipation of gridlocked traffic.
Mark Pollak, owner of Billy Tong, which caters for events and sells biltong at markets, said he expects to see 50% of the firm’s turnover for the weekend go “down the drain”.
Pollak said he had to refuse a request to cater an event in Guildford and had to cancel its stall at Surbiton Farmers’ Market on Saturday with staff not wanting to face expected traffic to get to jobs.
“It has a massive impact on my business,” he said. “I’ve cancelled events, I can’t get customers to come and collect stuff, I can’t get my staff to go to events.”
Ammara Kanwal, director of Code Kids, cancelled a coding club session due to take place at Cobham Free School on Saturday over fears she would not be able to make it there on time.
She said: “It was a bit of a disappointment. I am the one who cancelled, it was my business, so I am having to issue a refund for tomorrow.
“I mean, nobody wants to travel somewhere for two hours if it doesn’t take that long, it’s not fair.”
However, some businesses are not expecting to take too big a hit. For example, a staff member at the Black Prince in Addlestone said most of the pub’s customers are local and within walking distance.
Motoring experts are warning that official estimates of congestion levels may be “optimistic” while local councillors in areas where motorway traffic will be diverted are anticipating “gridlock”.
