AN ALRESFORD butcher is emerging from financial hardships six months after the front of the building was damaged in a car accident.

C E Evans and Sons, on West Street, was struck by a car on December 28, which damaged the shop's window.

Shop owners, Nigel and Eunice Foundling, assumed that the issue would be swiftly resolved and the damage to the shop repaired. However, work was delayed due to the building being a listed property.

Hampshire Chronicle: The delays caused financial difficulties. Eunice said they could no longer display fish in the front window: “Our takings on the fish counter have dropped by a quarter, I would say, at least. And I think some people are a bit tired of coming in, they think ‘Oh well, they’ve not got the fish’. We can’t store fish the same and we can’t display it the same and people, as you know, shop with their eyes. And if they can’t see it – I mean, we put a counter indoors, we’ve tried all sorts.

“But our takings, especially over Easter, they were half what they normally are. So, you can imagine, in this sort of climate anyway, when things are quite tight, it’s just made it worse.”

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Further strain has been caused on the business by a freezer breaking after it was damaged in the crash, requiring it to be replaced.

However, almost six months after the incident which caused the damage, Eunice said that the damage is finally being repaired, with repairs to be completed by the end of May.

She told the Chronicle that the business hopes to have the repairs completed by May half-term: “We heard from the insurers today that they're saying they are coming to start taking bits of the window away. It’s Victorian wood, so they’ve got to remaster what they’ve got, and they’ve got to use a certain mortar in the bricks, so they are hoping to get it all done by the end of May.”

Eunice wanted to thank the customers who continued to purchase from the butchers following the crash, saying: “We really appreciate the loyalty to us in putting up with all the upheaval and inconvenience, and we trust that those who have had to go elsewhere will come back to enjoy the fresh fish”.