CAR PARKING costs are forcing businesses in Warminster to fold and are "strangling" the town, traders said this week.

Shop and business owners turned out in force at an extraordinary meeting of the town council to protest. In April charges for a day's parking throughout the district nearly doubled from £1.80 to £3.50. At the same time Warminster's free parking was slashed from two hours to one, following a budget squeeze.

Mike Turner, chairman of the Warminster Independent Traders Association, said: "My association represents 300 businesses in the town and 4,500 people locally. This town has been served a death warrant commercially.

"My members are reporting a 40 to 50 per cent downturn in business from last year.

"This is a market town and we rely on people coming in. Before we had a car jam we had an ox cart jam. But now the car parks are empty, businesses are leaving the area and taking their investment out of the town."

Veronica Wallace, who owns and runs Le Caf Journal in the Market Place, said: "Since the charges have come in, I have seen a downturn in business.

"Soon we are going to have ASDA opening in Frome and that will pull more people from the town. We need a period of time for Warminster to become economically stronger before we kill it off."

Cllr John Syme said: "At the heart of every community is protection of businesses that provide employment and services for all of us. I look round my town and I see so many empty shops and many more will close because of this disgraceful rise."

Cllr David Lovell said members had voted for the reduction in January and the decision should stand. He said: "I am very willing to hear the evidence but I have not heard anything to convince me so far."

Councillors have formed a working group, which includes Les Rose, Chris March, Bill Parks and John Syme, to consider the town's options.