ON SUNDAY, staff in the tearoom at Mellerstain House near Gordon received bad news.
A bus party of 43 from Whitehaven, due to arrive the following day for food and a tour of the fine stately home, had cancelled their booking.
The reason? To reach its destination, the coach would have had to make a 60-mile detour, starting at Long
town and taking in Moffat, Peebles and Galashiels en route, because of the landslip closure of the A7 south of Langholm.
That extra mileage, though costly in itself, would require the provision of two drivers to comply with safety regulations and the Cumbrian daytrippers could not afford the extra expense.
"This single party would have spent at least £500 on their day with us," reflected tearoom manager Jill Ord. "It shows the serious knock-on effect of something as simple as a road closure over 50 miles away."
Those in the The Muckle Toon itself are also counting the cost of both the landslide and the lack of clarity of road signage for the 'passing through' motorist.
"It's a nightmare for local traders and most I have spoken to have seen their takings slump by up to 50 per cent since the weekend," said Denis Male, who represents Langholm on Dumfries and Galloway Council and is leading the call for compensation for affected businesses (see main story).
Margaret Sutherland, chair-woman of the community council, believes wider public perception of the situation in the town is a factor in the business downturn.
"It's a great pity if drivers who would normally pass through get the impression that Langholm is closed."
A retired head teacher, Mrs Sanderson was shocked to learn that a sign at Kingsknowes Roundabout in Galashiels, tells Carlisle-headed motorists: A7 closed south of Langholm: Use A68 and A69.
The full article contains 310 words and appears in Southern Reporter newspaper.
