Piano shop blames closure on delayed road scheme

The owner of a piano shop says it is closing down after more than three decades because of the long delays to a road and rail improvement project.

Botley Road has been closed since April 2023 as part of a £161m scheme to upgrade Oxford railway station and is expected to reopen in August 2026.

David Hogben of Courtney Pianos told the BBC the effect the disruption had on the shop was "like falling off the edge of a cliff".

A Network Rail spokesperson apologised and said: "We understand how frustrating the Botley Road work is to local businesses and residents and appreciate their concerns."

Botley Road was closed as part of Network Rail's project to expand the station and improve connectivity.

When the rail operator first outlined its plans it was expected to be shut over two six-month periods, with a six-month break in-between.

But in September 2023 it announced there would be no break because works ran behind schedule.

Then, last July, it said it would not reopen in October as planned.

Courtney Pianos will close in August as a result of the reduced footfall and uncertainty, and move to a small workshop to focus on restoring pianos.

It opened on Botley Road in 1991, though Mr Hogben started the business in 1977.

He said during the first closure he thought it better "to ride it out, see how things went, and although we did notice that trading had slipped a bit we were able to keep our heads above water".

He added: "But the feeling now is that first of all it's nine months, then it's another nine months, and now we've got another year and a quarter to go, and that's just too long to hang out waiting for things to improve."

Mr Hogben said closing the shop "wasn't a real choice".

"The numbers and the maths suggested that we had to make a decision of this nature," he explained.

"I'm feeling a bit flat, a little bit nostalgic for better times, but we've had to make the decision that we either sink or swim."

Mr Hogben confirmed there were changing trends in piano sales across the country, with a move towards digital keyboards, but that this did not account for a 40% drop in sales since the Botley Road closure.

Adrian Bradfield, a piano technician at the shop, said: "It's just got a lot quieter. We don't get the passing trade that we used to... it's hopeless, it really is. They've ruined it."

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "We know how important Botley Road is to Oxford and apologise for the ongoing inconvenience."

They said the company was organising monthly sessions with residents and businesses, a weekly newsletter, and complimentary workshops to assist with marketing, but said it welcomed any feedback on the project.

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