VISITORS may be relieved to see work beginning on Kettlewell's new toilets, but traders say the timing is anything but convenient.

As builders moved in on Monday to begin 26 weeks of work on the scheme to include a community office, ranger's office, bus shelter and transport information, local traders looked on in despair, fearing that the tourist season was going to be over before it started.

"We only began to see some sort of recovery in August and September after the foot and mouth crisis. Now, just as we look forward to spring, my customers will be expected to look out over a builders' yard," said Mike Smith of the Cottage Tearooms.

Mr Smith has been at the tearooms for 10 years and said in summer he can seat up to 54 people outside.

But he fears the threat of noise, dust and unsightly appearance of the work site will not encourage people to call in, especially as his business is situated directly opposite the car park where the development is going.

He added that the fact a large part of the car park was being taken over by works vans would probably put people off stopping in Kettlewell anyway.

"When I approached the national park authority and asked them why they couldn't wait until later in autumn to begin the work so it wouldn't affect the toursit trade as much the reply I got was: 'It rains in November!'" he added.

Mr Smith said the site would also directly affect the Racehorses pub whose restaurant and six residential bedrooms overlook the site.

Plans for the development were finally approved at a Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's planning meeting in January 2002.

The scheme attracted a grant of £100,000 from Craven District Council and additional funding from North Yorkshire County Council and other sources.

The district council has also agreed to pay for the maintenance of the building for the first five years.

The building contract was given to a Northallerton company after a lengthy competitive tendering process. The company had produced one of the lowest bids.

A spokesman for the national park authority said: "While the Authority understands there will be some disruption, it hopes this will be kept to a minimum and that they could be completed earlier than the estimated 26 weeks.

"The facilities are being developed as a direct response to the wishes of the parish council and several local businesses. We feel they will be a terrific facility for residents and visitors alike."

The authority added that the allocated start date was determined through a complicated planning process.