THE landlord of a West Devon pub has labelled as 'madness' a decision to close the road running past his business during peak season.

Bob and Mandy Colebrook-Clark run the Post Inn in Whiddon Down.

Around two weeks ago, Devon Highways informed them that the road opposite the Post Inn — the A3124 from Whiddon Down to North Tawton — will be closed for two weeks from July 23 to August 7.

Mr and Mrs Colebrook-Clark contacted West Devon borough councillor James McInnes, and Central Devon MP Mel Stride for their support.

Since then the couple have been informed the road will now close on July 31, with the intention of the work being completed within a week.

However, they are still upset over the decision to close the road during their busiest time of the year.

Mr Colebrook-Clark said: 'We all understand that roads need to be resurfaced and maintained, but it was the timing, length of closure and the diversion that is the main concern.

'I would not have such a problem with it if they were doing the work in, say, October. But to choose to do it now makes no sense, in the height of the tourist season.

'For them to have knocked it down to six days is better, but that is still nearly a week of business that will be affected.

'We are a small business that depends on passing holiday traffic. We have only been here nine months and together with our staff, have worked so hard to re-establish the Post Inn as a good traditional country pub with a warm friendly atmosphere and excellent food.

'There are three pubs that use the A3124 as a lifeline for trade — the Post Inn, the Tom Cobley at Spreyton and the Railway at Bays Cross — so to close the road in the height of the season seems like madness.'

A Devon County Council spokesman said: 'Essential reconstruction and resurfacing, as well as drainage and kerbing work, needs to be carried out on the A3124. A full road closure is necessary for one week, but unfortunately this is the only time the scheme could be fitted into the contractor's work programme.

'It has been co-ordinated to avoid September which is booked with two other closures on the A382 at Easton Cross, Chagford, and Ford Street, Moretonhampstead.

'We also try not to close A-roads once we get into the winter season, which starts in October, because of the need to salt alternative diversionary routes.'

When taking the decision, the county council also had to consider that the A3124 is a school bus route, and a closure in term time could also pose complications.

A week before hearing about the closure of the A3124, the couple received notification from West Devon Borough Council that there is a proposal to build a bypass at the end of the village for traffic to the wind farm being built in the Den Brook Valley, between Spreyton and North Tawton.

If given the go-ahead, the bypass will take away much of the passing traffic that makes up many of the customers of the pub.

Mr and Mrs Colebrook-Clark have started a petition for the erection of brown signs on the A30 and at both ends of Whiddon Down to promote the pub, as they are fearful that if the bypass comes to fruition,, more than half the passing traffic will disappear.

They contacted Central Devon MP Mel Stride on the issue, and he visited the pub to discuss the issue and sign their petition — it now has more than 500 signatures.

Mr Stride said: 'Pubs like the Post Inn play an important role in our society and are a vital part of our community, and it is vital that we get behind them, especially in these hard economic times of present.

'I fully support the need for the signs and hope sense will prevail.'