Gentoo Ventures is currently preparing the ground works on its site next to Stonewell Lane to make way for new homes.

But Ryan Hollinghurst, who runs Anything Goes, says the closure of a flight of steps connecting the site to Lagny Street has obliterated any passing trade.

And just six weeks into the 20-month scheme, he says he can't take any more.

"That route could have been left open," said Mr Hollinghurst, whose family's firm has been in Alnwick for 16 years. "It's a main source of trade for us.

"Gentoo's representative came to the shop for a general chit-chat with us, but nothing at all was mentioned about the whole place being shuttered off.

"It was two days before work was due to start that a customer told us what they planned to do."

Mr Hollinghurst added: "It's killing us. We've been talking about selling up since we heard about the access being closed.

"We were hoping to hang on until next summer, if we could get people through the door. Now we're throwing the towel in. This was the final straw.

"We would still be here if that access was open, but it's got to the point where we're going to take our business somewhere else."

Stewart Allen, managing director of Gentoo Ventures, said: "We apologise for any inconvenience that has been caused by the closure of the steps, unfortunately this was unavoidable for health and safety reasons and without it the development could not have gone ahead.

"We have worked with the planning department and the local community to minimise disruption while the development is ongoing and even personally deliver weekly shopping to those people in the local area with problems accessing the supermarket as a result of the works."