TRADERS have expressed anger that 170 car park spaces in a market town will be lost to shoppers during a major two-day food festival.

Bishop Auckland Food Festival, which is organised by Durham County Council, Auckland Castle Trust and Bishop Auckland Town Council and attracts about 30,000 visitors to the town, will be held in the castle grounds, market place and town hall on Saturday (April 18) and Sunday (April 19).

The short stay North Bondgate car park, near the town centre, will be closed between 4.30am and 7pm both days to allow traders and exhibitors who run festival stalls to leave their vehicles there.

Several traders said the car park’s closure during the festival will mean fewer shoppers will be able to easily access their stores.

Gordon Draper, owner of Bondgate Books, on Fore Bondgate, said: “The festival organisers didn’t consult with us, they just put a sign up saying the car park would be closed.

"That car park is always busy on a Saturday and if people come to shop and can’t get parked they’ll just drive straight away.

“I can’t understand the mentality of it, people get two hours to park and they come and go.

“This is an absolute joke and we expect to take a hit.”

Shaun Carney, who recently took over R Legge Florists, on Fore Bondgate, said: “I have to stay open, but we might as well shut.

“What the council is doing is ridiculous. I understand that they have to let the festival traders park somewhere, but why give up a perfectly good car park?”

There will be park and ride facilities at Bishop Auckland College and Coundon Industrial Estate, near Bishop Auckland, with parking for 500 cars.

Steve Howell, the county council's head of culture and sport, said the festival was expected to be draw more traders and visitors this year.

He said: “We have developed a traffic management plan that we believe is the best solution.

“While this plan does include designating all of the North Bondgate car park for festival traders, rather than closing a section of it as we did last year, there are six other car parks in close proximity to the festival.

“The food festival is always extremely popular and brings thousands upon thousands of visitors into the town centre, benefiting shops and restaurants and other local businesses.

“We provide dedicated trader parking in the town to aid traffic flow, allow loading and unloading and to ensure the festival goes as smoothly as possible.”