Snow closure

Tuesday 5th January 2010.

Minuteman Press, Stockport.

Motorway network working well but congested at junctions due to slow traffic. Arriving at Stockport town was a different story; roads made impassable by buses slewed side ways across roads; tanker and lorries stuck, cars skidding and requiring the push to get free.
Those staff who lived locally were able to report for work as normal, by walking.  Other staff didn't get beyond their front doors.  Stockport turned into a ghost town as many businesses closed early or stayed shut.  The main furniture shop opposite received deliveries on large trucks during the day, the deliveries had to go away because the shop was shut. Unfortunately it took the lorry drivers a lot of skill to then escape the snow laden roads.The commercial estate agents up stairs had staff unable to get in the premises, that too was shut.  For myself, paper deliveries didn't happen. Quotes were difficult to obtain because other businesses had missing staff. On the positive side my competitor down the road stayed shut all day and alot of business continued to flow via email, telephone and the web site.  Finally, around 4pm, a gritter and snow plough improved the road conditions on the access road outside the shop.  One walk in customer during day.  One passer by asking to use the phone for rescue purposes, another wanting to shelter from the cold.