The company responsible for the major road works in Tamworth Road says the work will be completed by early March - and the Royal Hotel is to be vacated in May.

Work to link the Mercia Park site near the A42 junction at Appleby Magna - where there is to be a new Jaguar Land Rover parts distribution centre - to the gas mains, has caused disruption to Ashby town centre with traffic having to be diverted and large parts of the road being excavated.

The work has been described as 'beyond a joke' by Ken Ward, chairman of the Ashby Civic Society, who has written to Mercia Park officials to express his concerns.

But a spokesperson for IM Properties, Mercia Park's operators and developers, told Ashby Nub News: "The current works by our contractors in Ashby de la Zouch, to install a new gas main that will connect to Mercia Park, are due to be completed by early March.

"Some additional works will be required for the final connection, but these will be small and not require the same amount of space in the highway.

"The private car park at the Royal Hotel will be vacated in May once all of the works are completed, as per the agreement between our contractor and the hotel's owner.

"We appreciate any work in the public highway can be frustrating and would like to apologise for any disruption.

"Our team is getting through the work as quickly and as safely as possible."

Mr Ward said he felt the issue was one that needed addressing.

He said: "I have just sent a message to Mercia Business Park to complain at the long running gas works in Ashby. It is getting beyond a joke.

"We have been greatly inconvenienced for many, many months for no benefit to Ashby. This work is to connect this huge Industrial estate at Appleby to the gas mains.

"The problem has also affected people and roads all the way through Acresford, Donisthorpe, Willesley all the way into Ashby - so we have been inconvenienced for a year! Pretty poor show I think."