UK's 'Favourite Farm Shop' Faces Existential Threat from Four-Year M6 Closure
The cherished Westmorland Farmshop and Kitchen, located at Tebay Services on the M6, is confronting a severe threat to its survival due to a planned four-year motorway closure. With a workforce of 400 employees, the renowned establishment fears that the extensive disruption from a major infrastructure project will lead to a significant decline in visitor numbers, potentially causing irreparable damage to its operations.
Business Owner Appeals for Government Intervention
Sarah Dunning, whose parents originally established the Westmorland services, has made a direct appeal to the Labour Party government. She is urging authorities to incorporate temporary slip roads into the £400 million project to help mitigate the anticipated losses. "Nobody is disputing that the bridges need replacing, but this is going to hurt businesses, residents, and farmers who use the junction as part of their everyday life," Dunning stated emphatically.
Drawing from past experiences, Dunning highlighted the predictable impact of such large-scale roadworks on customer footfall. "People will have to travel seven miles north to the next junction and then drive all the way south again to reach Tebay, which they are simply not going to want to do," she explained. "Over the course of four years or more, people will inevitably change their travel habits – and for local businesses, that could be not just damaging but final."
Essential Works Spark Widespread Concern
National Highways has defended the necessity of closing Junction 38 of the M6, citing the requirement to replace eight bridges along a five-mile stretch of motorway through the picturesque Lune gorge. However, this justification has done little to assuage the fears of local stakeholders.
Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, expressed grave concerns about the potential consequences. "This closure could be the killing of many shops," he warned. "The extent of disruption will be huge. There has been absolutely zero consultation or thought about mitigation or any kind of reaching out to the community."
Farron further criticised the approach, suggesting a disconnect between the project planners and the local area. "It seems to me that National Highways went up the road, saw how beautiful it is, and thought, 'well, nobody lives here, so we just need to worry about the engineering and not worry about the impact on the community.'"
Assurances Amidst Growing Anxiety
In response to the mounting criticism, National Highways has issued a statement aiming to clarify the situation. "Junction 38 will still remain open to traffic, apart from during a limited number of occasional overnight or weekend closures," a spokesperson said.
The agency emphasised its commitment to minimising disruption. "Our aim is to cause as little disruption as possible. That is why we are working with local communities and businesses nearby to limit the impact of these essential works."
Despite these assurances, the prospect of a prolonged closure continues to cast a long shadow over the future of the beloved farm shop and the wider local economy, leaving business owners and residents anxiously awaiting a resolution that balances infrastructure needs with community survival.
