A FARM shop has blamed roadworks for "destroying" its business after making an 'astronomical' financial loss. 

Bannuttree Farm Shop and Garden Service in Cutnall Green lost £36,000 and has been forced to close permanently at the end of this month after 10 years of trading.

The business said Worcestershire County Council "killed" them two years ago when it placed road closure warning signs 4.2 miles away from the roadworks.

The county council acknowledged the lack of business open as usual signs.

Farm shop staff said it led many customers to assume the A442 through Cutnall Green was closed between May and August 2022 leading to a drop in trade.

"The council closed the road and we lost £36,000 - it was astronomical," said a spokesperson for Bannuttree Farm Shop.

"They did not notify us or did their obligation to meet us (before the closure was in place) and then basically put a 4.2-mile closure sign in place all the way through to Droitwich.

"We tried to recuperate and have been struggling.

"It is absolutely terrible, and we decided we couldn't do it again.

"That is why we are closing."

Bannuttree Farm Shop said that once Worcestershire County Council had placed a sign saying 'business open as usual', business then picked up.

But the damage had already been done.

"This has been a family farm for over 150 years from converted outbuildings.

"We used to grow plants and sell them over the fence and then decided to build a shop in 2007.

"The council has gone and destroyed it. We have to close down and financially recover and work and work on the loss.

"The shop that used to serve the community will now be a shed."

Staff added the farm will not be sold and the family will still tend it and pass it down to generations to come.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: "During the works in 2022, a number of matters were noted, including road closure signs, other traffic management being removed and various technical issues.

"However, the contractors managed to work around these and still finish the works a couple of days earlier than anticipated.

"The closure was advertised in the normal, statutory method including the local paper, the Kidderminster Shuttle.

"Our signage regarding the works also followed a recognised way of displaying information required for a closure of this sort.

"After liaising with the owner regarding their concerns, we apologised for the disruption due to the essential works and acknowledged the lack of business open as usual signs at either end of the closure, and these were then erected by July 1."