West Street is closed. Traffic flow in Meeting House Lane (aka the Furlong) has been reversed. The only vehicular access to Ringwood's High Street, Market Place and West Street is via Mansfield Road. and then Christchurch Road
When the planned roadworks in Mansfield Road begin, there is a risk that the centre of Ringwood will become even more difficult to access. There will be an effort to mitigate the problem but there is surely a risk that the damage to businesses in the shopping centre, the Market Place and West Street will be grave. Ringwood's shopping centre has shown remarkable resilience, surviving Covid and responding well to the challenge of internet shopping. Let's hope road works don't prove to be one challenge too many.