A PROMINENT business leader has given a stark warning that firms are "struggling to survive" in Bewdley.

Members of the town council have to help find extra car parking spaces in the town for trade to pick up, the vice chairman of the Bewdley Chamber of Trade Colin Billingham warned.

He said the imminent loss of 40 spaces as part of a multi-million pound flood defence project would add to a raft of headaches already experienced with similar work in the town last year.

Mr Billingham told Monday's meeting of the council: "May we remind the town council that Bewdley as the business town we know is struggling to survive.

"At the present time we have five empty shops - this is not good."

Wyre Forest Highways Partnership manager Stuart Reynolds had thrown down the gauntlet to the town council to find spots where parking restrictions such as double yellow lines could be lifted - but received no feedback.

But Mr Billingham put forward two ideas on Monday night, suggesting "herringbone" parking be re-introduced on Load Street and two bus lay-bys by the Horn and Trumpet pub on Dog Lane be used for short stay free parking.

He said the latter could accommodate 144 cars a day while buses could stop in the town centre as "only six travel and stop on this route".

However, councillor Paul Gittins said previous attempts by the council to bring back herringbone parking had been "thrown out" while he said drivers would park up in the bus lanes for longer than the suggested half an hour.

Wife and fellow councillor Carol Gittins added Wyre Forest coach firm Whittles - which uses the bus stops - was not happy with the proposal.

But Councillor Max Keen came to Mr Billingham's rescue and urged members to address "the most important thing we have discussed and are likely to discuss for some time".

He said: "The town is going to struggle like hell and we have got to do something.

"The members of the chamber of trade have a far better idea about the kind of people that come to the town than any of us."

The town council agreed to meet with the chamber to further discuss where the extra spaces - to be lost when the flood defence scheme on Severnside South is completed in 2005/06 - could be found.