Charlotte Heyes, co-owner of popular Greater Manchester venues Nell's and Common, has urged customers to keep visiting as major Metrolink improvement works cause three weeks of disruption on the Eccles, Trafford Centre, and Altrincham lines. The works, which began this week and run until August 2, involve essential upgrades at Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar tram stops, along with additional work on the Eccles line and in the city centre. No trams are running on the affected lines, while East Didsbury and Airport services terminate at Firswood. The closures coincide with major events including Manchester Day, Comic Con Manchester, and The Hundred at Emirates Old Trafford.
Impact on Nell's and Common
Charlotte Heyes, who runs Nell's with her husband Jonny, said she learned of the planned works in mid-June and warned they would significantly affect their sites in the city centre, MediaCity, and the Northern Quarter. “I think it will most affect us at MediaCity because it's right by the tram stop there and people will get off and head to us,” she said. “We don't have that now for the next three weeks. I think it could have a real impact on the area – we've had to adjust our forecasts lower as a result.” However, the first few days proved more encouraging than anticipated. “Thankfully, it's not been as bad as we thought it would be so far but we have still noticed a bit of a drop in trade. The fact that we've had nice weather has certainly helped us out with that,” she added.
Previous Disruption and Support Calls
Heyes described tram works over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (April 3–6) as “disastrous” for business, with the same lines suspended. “We really suffered at MediaCity because of that. We were really down that weekend and everyone struggled. It was really bad for us. I was fearing these works would have had a similar impact on our summer,” she explained. Upon learning of the current closures, she contacted the Bee Network to explore support options for her business and neighbouring establishments. Replacement bus services are operating, and passengers are advised to use Bee Network buses and trains where possible.
Transport for Greater Manchester's Response
A Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) spokesperson described the works as “the biggest track upgrades” they have ever undertaken, stressing they are “vitally important” for improving journey reliability. They apologised for the disruption to passengers and businesses. “This is vitally important work that will make Metrolink journeys quicker and more reliable once complete,” the spokesperson said. “This is one of the biggest track upgrades we've ever done, and it was always going to be disruptive for passengers given the scale of the job. We're sorry for the inconvenience and are doing everything we can to keep people moving.” They added that they have been heavily promoting the closure to give people advance notice.
Appeal to Customers
Heyes felt insufficient notice was given. “I do feel like we weren't given enough notice about this. I expect these works had been planned for a long time. If we had known about this six months, or even three months, earlier, it would have helped us figure things out a bit more thoroughly on how we can deal with it,” she said. Despite the challenges, she urged customers to continue supporting hospitality businesses. “We just want to remind customers to still come visit us, there are still lots of ways of getting into town and into MediaCity whether it's by bus or by cycling. We're still open. Remember your local businesses, make the most of them.” She noted the challenging climate for the sector due to increased cost pressures, adding, “this has not come at the best of timing for us, but we're just hoping people will still come and visit us.”
