SMALL business owners who feared they would have to shut after a road closure drove customers away are to launch a loyalty card.

Shops and cafes in Queen Margaret Drive have seen their takings drop by as much as 50% following the closure of part of the major West End thoroughfare.

But the owners say they have experienced a positive response from the community after the Evening Times highlighted their fight for survival last Saturday.

Now they are launching a loyalty keyring and a website - www.queenmargaretdrive.co.uk - to give something back to their customers and attract new ones.

The firms are to host a street party in the coming weeks, for the launch of the loyalty scheme, which will include offers and discounts.

Scottish Water closed the road from Oban Drive to Fergus Drive on January 12 for six weeks due to £150,000 sewage works.

Rhonda Fraser, who has owned Kelvin Hair for nine years, said it was a "state of emergency".

She added: "There was a real possibility we wouldn't be here in six weeks time.

"Some of the businesses are down as much as 50% compared to the same time last year. It is really extreme.

"When they put up the signs at the beginning they said the whole road had closed. They gridlocked the entire area.

"We didn't have time to tell our customers that we would still be open."

We told on Saturday how their businesses were devastated and they were calling for compensation.

Since then Ms Fraser, who is chairwoman of Queen Margaret Drive Traders' Association, said she had seen a surge in support for them.

As well as the hairdresser, there is an optician, cafes, gift shops and a beer store.

Ms Fraser said: "We have been really pleased because the community has really picked up on the article in the Evening Times and people who live nearby have asked their friends to come out and support us.

"As an association we really look out for each other.

"The loyalty scheme is not really something I've seen smaller groups of businesses do, but we think it will really help us get noticed and shows we're supporting each other."

As we reported, the group started a petition to ask Scottish Water and Glasgow City Council to provide compensation to the community and businesses because of the disruption.

Mark Maclaren, Scottish Water's regional communities team manager, said: "This type of work can't be carried out without some disruption but we can assure road-users, local residents and businesses that we are doing everything possible to minimise any inconvenience.

"We would stress that any short-term inconvenience will be far out-weighed by the long-term benefits this investment will deliver."

rachel.loxton@eveningtimes.co.uk