TRADERS have lost tens of thousands of pounds in takings due to new parking charges, Lydney town councillors have claimed.

The Co-op supermarket in the town was said to be £20,000 down on takings a week after the charges were introduced, while another smaller shop was said to have lost £1,500.

At a meeting of the town council on Monday, Councillor Bill Osborne said: "Because of the car parking charges staff at the Co-op were all told not to park in the supermarket's car park anymore. In the first week they were £20,000 down on takings.

"Another small shop was down £1,500 – and it's the smaller shops that can't afford a drop in takings like that. It must be down to parking charges because nothing else has changed."

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