SEAFRONT traders claim roadworks which should have finished two weeks ago are damaging bank holiday weekend business.

Southern Gas Network is replacing pipes along Brighton seafront. The work should have been finished by May 12 but the company failed to take into account complications caused by the proximity of businesses in the arches under Kings Road.

Colin Burt, owner of The Rock Shop in Kings Road, said the work was hurting trade.

He said his shop ought to have been doing brisk business but takings were down by about half so far compared to other bank holiday weekends.

He said: "They decided after three months that they would get out their pneumatic drills and dig up the road outside my shop on a sunny bank holiday.

"The floors have been shaking and my staff have headaches.

"People aren't going to walk along the pavement when there is a lot of noise. They will just cross the road.

"This is the fourth bank holiday that diggers have caused havoc on Brighton seafront."

The Belgrave Hotel in Kings Road, received a number of complaints from customers who were woken up by the noise at 9am.

Manager Roy Carey said: "These roadworks are affecting our walk-in trade.

"There is so much traffic congesting the area and people can't see us that well.

"We still don't have a clear picture of when these works will end.

"Customers don't like Brighton because it's bad for parking but with roadworks on a major road it's even more difficult for tourists to know where they are going."

Bharat Amin, owner of newsagent Seaside News in Kings Road, said: "It's annoying and irritating but there is not much we can do."

The junction with West Street has been reduced to one lane eastbound as hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the city for the long weekend.

It is the second time this year roadworks have caused severe bank holiday traffic jams.

They are often suspended over bank holidays to ease congestion but Southern Gas Network decided to press on at Kings Road.

The firm says it has trebled the manpower assigned to the project to get it finished as quickly as possible.

Contractors are laying long-

life polyethylene pipes to replace old metal ones. SGN said the work should be complete by Friday.

A spokeswoman said: "We continue to apologise for the inconvenience these extended works are causing.

"We have tripled the manpower this weekend and they are working flat-out to finish the works as soon as they can."