Farnham traders are bracing for another three weeks of disruption as contractors return to The Borough from tonight (Sunday, July 26) to complete long-delayed paving works.

The road will be closed 24 hours a day for around three weeks while the final phase of the Farnham Infrastructure Programme (FIP) is completed.

The works follow a major setback earlier this year when contractors ran out of matching paving slabs, leaving sections of the newly-laid street temporarily filled with tarmac while replacement materials were sourced.

Surrey County Council said the work has been scheduled during the school summer holidays to reduce the impact on traffic. Crews will work extended weekday and weekend shifts in a bid to finish as quickly as possible.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout, while cyclists will be able to dismount and walk through the works.

Despite the timing, businesses on The Borough fear another difficult trading period after many saw takings fall during the previous road closure.

Jasper Singh, of The Farnham Phone Repair Shop, said the latest closure would inevitably hit businesses again, although he hoped the disruption would be shorter this time.

"It is going to be a mess again and all business will be affected," he said. "But it will be quick this time. Our sales were down to half during the works and it delayed us from moving to our new premises."

Jerry West, a volunteer at Oxfam Books & Music, said he feared the renewed disruption would once again deter shoppers.

"They have messed up the whole thing," he said.

"People may come in or they may not come in, who knows. They are just messing the whole town around, and I think their decision to prioritise pedestrians over drivers is the wrong one, as people may not come back into town if it takes too long."