Small business owners in Bath have continued to trade despite wintry weather which has caused chaos on the region’s roads.

Independent family run firms have done their best to remain open in the face of sleet and snow according to the Bath branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

FSB chair Angela Ladd said there have been few signs of businesses closing in the city because staff are not able to get into work.

She said: “People need to work together.

“If you have a business with only three staff and one doesn’t turn up it can have a big impact.

“The only thing that worries us are the customers staying away.

“When schools are closed parents can’t go shopping and that puts us back.

“The weather hasn’t affected the running of many small businesses at all but if you have got a retail outlet customers are not as thick on the ground as they would normally be.”

Sainsbury’s in Green Park has also been unaffected by the severe weather and deputy manager Keith Lambert said he was surprised it was business as usual.

He said: “Our shelves are well stocked and we have not noticed a problem here.

“About 40 people haven’t been able to get in but we have struggled on and are continuing to serve people to the best of our ability.”

Construction work at Bath’s £360 million SouthGate shopping centre has also continued despite the bad weather.

Jon Munce, development manager with SouthGate developer Multi Development UK Ltd, said work at the site had not been suspended but snow has slowed progress.

Mr Munce said: “The site is open and working but certain activities have been affected by the snow.

“Concrete and brick laying can’t happen at low temperatures and the cold affects the setting of the concrete.

“Other than concrete activities and brick laying the site is working as normal.

“Internal work is also progressing as normal.”

Visitors have also had to cancel bookings at Thermae Bath Spa due to problems on the road and rail networks leading into the city.

Around 80 per cent of staff arrived at work at the controversial tourist attraction today and marketing manager Peter Rollins said it is now fully up and running.

He said: “We have noticed the snow has been lying on the water on the roof top pool and it has taken a little bit longer in mornings to get it up to the full temperature but because of the natural heat of the water it has been coming back pretty quickly.”