Bollywood haunt at risk as tram work hits curry business

Published on Thursday 10 April 2008 01:38

A RESTAURANT frequented by Bollywood stars has laid off staff and is threatening to close after claiming tram roadworks in Edinburgh have devastated its business.

Herman Rodrigues, of Suruchi Too, said the Indian restaurant had been empty at lunchtimes and virtually deserted in the evenings since Constitution Street in Leith was shut last week.

He also claimed the city council-owned tram developers had failed to display "Open for Business" posters in the street as they had for other street closures.

Constitution Street is the main route between the city centre and heart of Leith.

Mr Rodrigues said he was forced to lay off seven staff on Monday after the restaurant lost 80 per cent of its normal trade during the first week of the closure.

He said the road was closed at both ends of the section where the restaurant was located, with no parking available, even at weekends when no work had taken place.

He said: "At the very least, one end of Constitution Street must be opened to traffic immediately, and parking for businesses must be reinstated without delay. If this does not happen in a very few days, our restaurant will have to close forever."

He said Suruchi Too had played host to numerous Bollywood stars since it opened seven years ago.

He added: "Our evening diners and take-away customers have dropped to the point of almost non-existence for the exactly the same reasons."

Edna McCombs, who runs the nearby Pillars House guesthouse, said her business may also suffer from the road closure.

She said: "It will affect passing trade since Constitution Street is one of the main routes to the docks for workmen."

Graham Russell, the Edinburgh chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, described the situation as "absolutely unbelievable".

He said: "I have attended meeting after meeting where the crucial message of 'Edinburgh Is Open For Business' has dominated the proceedings. Yet at street level nothing has happened.

TIE, the former Transport Initiatives Edinburgh, which is in charge of the project to open a Newhaven-Edinburgh airport tram line in 2011, said "Open for Business" signs were put up yesterday. Mike Connelly, its stakeholder manager, said: "We will remain in close dialogue with Mr Rodrigues and others."

&#149 A support scheme to assist small businesses affected by the tram utility diversion work was extended yesterday to some 200 traders on side streets adjacent to the tram route.