STORE bosses say their Christmas trade was hit because reduced car parking kept customers away.

Traders say the closure of 540-space Lord Street multi-storey car park has driven trade away from Gravesend town centre.

The council sold the land to Barratt Homes last year to be converted into flats and commercial space.

Traders claim the Christmas shopping period was noticeably quieter this year.

One trader has reported a 30-per- cent drop in trade this Christmas.

And osteopath Andrew Hill from GNG Mason & Associates, in Parrock Street, says 2006 is going to be a tough year for traders.

He said: "It has gone very quiet. People are giving up."

Traders are fearful the New Year will lead to more trouble when Parrock Street car park partially closes for urgent repairs on January 16.

This follows many of them suffering poor shopper numbers this Christmas.

News Shopper has reported traders' fears since Lord Street car park closed on October 14.

A recent extraordinary meeting of the council did little to calm the fears of traders and users of the town.

Many feel Lord Street should reopen and Parrock Street should not be closed.

The 655-space Parrock Street car park will be closed for 29 weeks but 200 spaces will be left available at any one time.

Nigel Henderson, the owner of the Parrock Street Veterinary Surgery, said: "People are not coming into Gravesend, full stop.

"January 16 is going to be the big thing. It's going to hit us badly."

Andrew Marshall, owner of Lumar Jewels, High Street, said: "I think the car park closure did not help in the run up to Christmas.

"We managed to get through this traffic problem of losing 540 spaces and we have to get through this (closure) now."

Deputy leader of Gravesham council Councillor Colin Caller said: "If trade has been hit it is quite possible it was damaged by adverse publicity in some sections of the press.

"This may have put people off coming into Gravesend.

"It has to be remembered the Lord Street car park closure was principally a safety issue and so is the impending partial closure of Parrock Street.

"Public safety has got to be paramount."