TRADERS in Bewdley and Stourport have had a very merry Christmas - at the expense of beleaguered Kidderminster.

Now owners of "struggling" smaller shops in Kidderminster town centre are considering demanding compensation from Wyre Forest District Council over the parking crisis which they say blighted their festive trade.

But their counterparts in Wyre Forest's two other towns have been dancing to the tune of jingling tills thanks to shoppers snubbing Kidderminster due to the loss of 800 parking spaces following the demolition of Pitts Lane and Market Street multi-storey and surface car parks.

Swan Centre manager and Kidderminster Town Centre Partnership vice-chairman Margaret Moon said the parking situation had "definitely affected" festive shopping in the town.

She had earlier warned the parking space shortage could see small businesses go to the wall and fears the problem will continue even when the town centre development is completed.

"The town can only cope with so many people at the moment," said Ms Moon, who expects to have detailed figures on the festive trade in Kidderminster by the end of the week.

Early indications pointed to a "mixed" trading period, with some larger retailers doing better than last year and some failing to match 2000 figures.

And despite a "buoyant" spell between Christmas and the New Year, she said some smaller independent stores had struggled - and a movement had started to demand rebates from the council to compensate for the losses.

Ms Moon added: "The week before Christmas there were actually some parking spaces available.

"It was apparent people were no longer trying to come to town because they had experienced the problems and weren't prepared to even come and try parking. It's very disappointing."

Bewdley Chamber of Trade president Don Roles, who runs Load Street's Spar Store, was "not complaining" following a successful festive period.

The town has parking problems of its own, with spaces on the popular Dog Lane car park being taken up by contractors working to install flood defences along Severnside North.

But the chamber put up notices pointing visitors in the direction of alternative parking at the "underused" Gardeners Meadow - and Mr Roles is adamant the town reaped the benefits of extra visitors as a result of the problems in Kidderminster.

And Stourport Business Association chairman Russell Hinton said stores had been very busy and store owners had been happy with trade.

He said his own business, High Street jewellers Mantons, had seen business rise 10 per cent on the same period last year, and added: "It's been a good Christmas and a lot of stores are optimistic about the sales as well."