CONFUSION reigned in Bradford on Avon this weekend with different parties being told different information about the temporary two-day reopening of Holt Road for the Civil War re-enactment.

The road, from its western junction with Springfield to its junction with Cemetery Lane, has been closed since May 1 as part of a 20-week project to build a roundabout for the Kingston Farm development.

The road reopened last weekend for the re-enactment, much to the delight of motorists and business owners, but promptly closed again on Monday morning.

Beeches Farmhouse B&B and Westdale Park Home and Garden Centre say they were not told about the temporary reopening or whether the road would permanently open from then on.

Westdale Park co-owner, Tricia Clarke, 60, said: “I am just beyond fed up with all of this. I cannot take too much more. Constantly being kept in the dark about something that is threatening the future of our business is unbearable. We were told by Fairfield Nurseries that the road would reopen with traffic lights for the re-enactment, and that it would then be open after the weekend.

“But just when we get our hopes up, we found it had closed again on Monday morning – it is a joke.”

Wiltshire Council highways department told Bradford Town Council a few months ago that a condition of the road closure was that the road would reopen for two days to prevent traffic building up in the town.

But when developer CG Fry & Sons found craters at the site at the start of July, there was speculation that it could delay the process which could lead to longer road closures.

The town council say they were ecstatic after being told about the reopening on Friday and rushed to put up signs telling motorists.

Beeches co-owner, Nigel Stanley, said: “We were not told. We only found out when cars started going past. It would have been nice to have been notified.“Guests often call asking how to find us and that has been complicated by the road closures, so this could have helped.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said: “The road was temporarily reopened for the Civil War re-enactment as part of the original agreement to close Holt Road.

“Additional work is required. at the site, but We are working with the developer to reopen the road permanently, ahead of the original September target date.“We will continue to liaise with and update local residents and businesses, including a revised opening date once agreed.”