Shopkeepers feel “badly let down” after their phone lines went down two weeks ago and are yet to be fixed.

BT phone and internet systems went down for some customers in the Barnet area at the start of September – but despite repeated complaints the problem is yet to be fixed.

People affected were originally told the issue would be fixed by September 18, but this has now been pushed back to September 24.

Meli Savia, who owns Elegance Health and Beauty, in Russel Lane, said: “It’s been unbearable. My business relies on people phoning and when I don’t pick up, they go elsewhere. It looks unprofessional.

“People think I’ve gone out of business. I have to make calls on my mobile which costs me a lot extra. It’s unacceptable.

“The worst part is, we are being kept in the dark over what’s going on and we feel very messed around. Nobody seems to know what the fault is or why it’s happened.”

Since the systems went down, the salon owner claims her takings have plummeted by 70 per cent.

A restaurant, an estate agent and a newsagent in the parade have also reported a loss in takings.

Tush Patel, who owns Gosdens Newsagents, said his Oyster top up machine and till, which both rely on the BT phone line, have also broken.

He said: “We feel incredibly let down by BT and we’ve lost trust in them. It seems to be taking far too long to sort out.

“It’s our livelihood and our businesses and without being able to phone our clients and customers, we’re losing out. It’s been quiet here recently anyway, but we’ve lost around 25 per cent.”

Grandparents Gillian and Brian Lee, of Alverstone Avenue, Barnet, said their phones stopped working last Wednesday and they are none the wiser as to when the issue might be fixed.

Mrs Lee, 74, said: “We are both in our 70s so we don’t have our mobile phones chained to our ears all the time.

“I’ve tried to ring the call centre but nobody seems to know what’s happening. They keep pushing back the date when it might be fixed.

“We feel quite cut off from everything. It’s not right.”

The Times Series is awaiting a comment from BT.