UNDER pressure businesses have voiced fears that road works planned for the centre of a tourist honeypot could damage its vital tourism industry this summer.

UNDER pressure businesses have voiced fears that road works planned for the centre of a tourist honeypot could damage its vital tourism industry this summer.

Highways bosses have defended the plans to carry out essential resurfacing work in Lavenham's picturesque Market Place claiming it would greatly enhance the area.

But it has left many traders fearing that the short-term result would be a disrupted summer and a loss of revenue at a crunch time in the village.

Sheila Lane, owner of Lavenham Cottages, a group of homes which overlook the medieval square, said: “I am sure there will be some sort of disruption - it will affect all residents and businesses in the square.

A series of meetings have been held between Suffolk County Council and businesses and residents in the area and a public exhibition will soon be held to show more detailed plans.

But Chris Lamb, custodian of Little Hall Museum, said: “The months the work is being proposed for is our busiest time and I would have liked some remedial work done before then to quicken things up.”

No one from Suffolk County Council was available for comment.