Owner of Ten Bells in Stonham Aspal, near Stowmarket, fears A1120 potholes will drive customers away

A business owner says his recently opened premises has been negatively affected by potholes — describing the noise from passing vehicles ‘like a bomb going off in a warzone’.

Michael Stewart, 67, of Ipswich, recently reopened the long-closed Ten Bells pub on the A1120 The Street, Stonham Aspal, near Stowmarket, into a convenience store with plans to reopen part of the site as a pub and coffee lounge in the coming months.

Mr Stewart, who has invested more than £280,000 of his life savings into reviving the premises as a community asset, said he is outraged at Suffolk County Council after the authority refused to repair two potholes on either side of his business.

A council spokesperson said a recent inspection by a highways authority officer found the defects did not meet the required depth for intervention.

“It’s absolutely disgraceful,” Mr Stewart said. “When a truck runs over these potholes, its like an explosion — like a bomb going off in a warzone.

“I find it extremely disappointing that I’m putting huge amounts of effort into bringing this pub up to scratch, yet Suffolk County Council has no sympahty whatsoever.

“I know they have endless roads to deal with, but it really doesn’t cost too much to fill a couple of potholes.”

Mr Stewart, who has also contacted MP Peter Prinsley over the issues, says the potholes are already affecting his business.

He believes customers will be put off from sitting in the café area due to the noise of vehicles hitting the holes — claiming that the building visibly shakes when HGVs pass over them.

The larger of the two potholes sits between The Ten Bells and Stonham Aspal C of E VA Primary School and, according to Mr Stewart, measures up to 8cm deep in places.

Despite this, Suffolk Highways has declined to carry out repairs.

A Suffolk County Council spokesperson said: "Following a recent inspection by a highways authority officer, the defect was deemed not to be at intervention level in line with our Highways Maintenance Operational Plan (HMOP).

"Should residents have any concerns regarding defects on the road or footway in their local area, then these should be reported online using our Highways Online Reporting Tool."