Traders in Cockermouth are hoping for a bumper Easter as spirits in the town lift after an end to months of roadworks.

Business owners said the atmosphere in the town had been boosted since the contractors working on the £1.7 million flood defence scheme on Main Street finished and left town last week.

Now they hope the four-day Easter weekend and the school holidays will bring an increase in visitors as people rediscover all the town has to offer.

Steve Bishop, chairman of Cockermouth and District Chamber of Trade, said: “Seeing the roadworks finally disappear from Main Street has been a huge relief for businesses, residents and visitors alike.

“The disruption to everyday life and the impact on our lovely town has seemed endless. Now we can finally look forward.

“The Easter holidays are here and I hope the recent run of fabulous weather continues. A bit of sunshine really lifts the spirits.

“Cockermouth is a very special place and it will be great for everyone who comes here to simply enjoy its independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs without a traffic cone in sight.”

Some businesses said trade picked up immediately once the traffic cones, noise and disruption left.

Staff at Main Street Fisheries said many regular customers who were unable to reach them while on-street parking was limited, had returned straight away.

Owner Eleni Pavlou said: “It got busier the first day the roadworks had gone. It picked up a lot.

“We hadn’t been busy since before Christmas when it started. We have a lot of elderly customers who couldn’t walk down.

“We hope people will come back to town and it will get back to normal.”

Stephen Kidd, owner of the Moon & Sixpence coffee house, said: The roadworks have pretty much been there since I opened. It’s been easier for people to pull up, grab a coffee and go since they left.

“I can only hope that it picks up even more. It’s nice to have the town fully open. The mood’s definitely lifted.”

Adam Stitt, owner of 4Play Cycles, said the town had been very quiet and customers and delivery drivers had experienced problems reaching the shop during the roadworks.

He added: “It feels like someone’s opened the gates now to let people back in.

“The increased flow of traffic through the town means people are seeing our windows so the things we put in there are starting to turn over quicker.

“Hopefully everyone will cheer themselves up now – everyone can rejoice. The attitude in town should be a lot more positive.”

Viv Austin, owner of Percy House Gallery, said: “It’s picking up now. There are more visitors to the town so hopefully there’ll be an improvement in trade.

“We hope to have a good Easter and that the rest of the year will build on that.”

Tom Robinson, of Wishes card shop, said: “There’s definitely a different atmosphere.

“It’s going to mean a great lot to have the hustle and bustle back. We hope the town being fully open again will attract a few more new visitors.”

Kay Carlin, owner of Allerdale Court Hotel, said: “We are hoping that Easter weekend will be a turning point. We’re fully booked.”

The flood defence work started more than three years ago, with the initial phase taking eight months, far longer than expected.

Last year, it was decided to do the final stages of the work, on High Sand Lane, in two parts, to keep the town free of roadworks over Christmas.

The first part started on October 17 and went on until early December.

The second part started in January and was due to be completed by March 3.

Setbacks saw the work extended to last week.