TRADERS in Oxford city centre say they are losing customers because of noise, dust and bad smells caused by repairs to the sewers in Cornmarket Street.

Repairs to drains under Frewin Court were expected to take about a month when they began in May.

But work is still going on and Thames Water says it should now be finished by October 18.

Felicity Clancy, assistant manager at French soap store L’Occitane, which is right next to the work, said: “We’ve really suffered as a result. Customers not being able to access us means we are making less money.”

Thames Water spokesman Martin Wells said the company had been sending regular letters to businesses informing them of any updates.

He said the company had taken a step back from work, as they realised it was affecting businesses. Workers were now trying to finish the project with as little impact as possible on those who work nearby.

Mr Wells added: “We’ve now finished the repairs to our sewer pipes but as an extra piece of work we’re also building a new manhole in Cornmarket Street to make access easier for our engineers in the future. This work will be finished by the end of next week in time for the Oxford Half Marathon.

“This has been an unusually complex job because of the need to keep access to some very narrow streets open, but all our work in the area should be finished by October 18.”