Recycled Relix owner Cathy Hancox says the NBN cable work has been blocking customer access to her shop and impacting on her business. Picture: ZONA BLACK
A LAUNCESTON business owner says she has had it ``up to here'' with the National Broadband Network construction that is blocking customer access to her store and impacting on her business.
With her husband Michael, Cathy Hancox owns Recycled Relix, on the corner of York and Bathurst streets.
On the work days since last Wednesday, Mrs Hancox said work related to the construction of the NBN had taken place on both streets outside her business.
The result has been six days of rough trading because she said customer access to her store was virtually impossible: an obstacle course of barricades, machinery, diverted footpaths and more.
Mrs Hancox has been keeping a tally of customers every day since the work began and counted nine as the maximum for a day, compared with a seasonal average of 30 to 40.
``I have basically sold nothing for a week. . . I think I should be given compensation for the business this has cost me,'' she said. ``I am just absolutely up to here with everything, the noise, the dust - all of it.''
She has also found her phone, internet and Eftpos line ``cut'' on two separate days, a problem that was temporarily fixed by Telstra.
Last Thursday, the store shut early because access was so bad, and on Friday, Mrs Hancox said she did not bother opening the doors at all.
Mrs Hancox said one of the worst things was that she did not receive written or verbal notification that the work would occur.
An NBN Co spokeswoman said that when the company entered an area where construction could possibly disrupt the community, its contractors notified residents and businesses through written communication.
But Mrs Hancox and others on the block impacted by the works said they had not received any notification.
NBN Co confirmed that works in the area would be finished by close of business today.