BUSINESS owners are urging customers not to be put off by scaffolding and ongoing works and stress they are still open.

Work has started to rebuild the offices and studios on St Michael’s Trading Estate destroyed by a fire last July.

Scaffolding has gone up by the Edwards Building off St Michael’s Lane and business owners want to stress that they are still open, and the regular vintage market will still go ahead this weekend.

Richard Payne-Withers of Alleyways Antiques said: “The businesses are open as usual, with Alleyways Antiques open seven days a week, and the monthly vintage market, which is going from strength to strength, is still taking place. The next market is on Sunday.

“There’s signage going about around the town, especially in the Waitrose car park.

“We are open, come and see us and continue to support the local businesses at St Michael’s Trading Estate.

“Its great to see work beginning on the Edwards building, but rest assured it is business as usual for all the companies.”

Anna Vogel, of the Red Brick Cafe in the estate, wants to remind customers that the riverside cafe and garden is open as usual, serving food from Wednesday to Saturday, as well as now offering breakfast on Sundays.

Access for pedestrians into the trading estate is opposite the Rope Walks car park behind Waitrose, through an alleyway between Snips and Ocean Bathrooms, with vehicle access by the police station in Tannery Road.

Martin Ridley of Haywards and Co, owners of the trading estate, said: “Encouraging people to make their way through to here from South Street and West Street, especially on market days, is an ongoing activity, but the consequences of the fire and the start of reinstatement work, plus the general problems that retailers across the country are having, has made it much more of a challenge.

“A St Michael’s traders forum was formed about 18 months ago, and this group is working on how to improve signage and increase awareness.

“We are also installing signs along St Michael’s Lane and elsewhere, mainly to overcome the impression from the lane that St Michael’s may look closed - it isn’t.”

Roy Gregory of Clocktower Music says they have had a lot of support from Haywards, the town council and various people and lots of signs are going up.

He said: "We are supportive of the building work as we all want it done as soon as possible.

"Haywards are being supportive in helping the businesses going forward, they recognise the difficulty of dropping footfall."