CAR parking chaos is set to hit Kidderminster trade by night and day, publicans have warned.

Town licensees have joined traders in condemning the loss of 275 car parking spaces when work starts on the remainder of the £60 million Weavers' Wharf development on July 21.

Kidderminster Licensees Association, which represents town landlords, said it would further hit under-fire pubs already battling against national chains' cut-price policies and the rise in imported alcohol.

It voiced fears with the news 250 spaces on Pitts Lane surface car park and 25 at the Sling will be lost for 18 months before the development is completed.

KLA vice-chairman Dave Hipkiss said it was not only daytime shoppers who faced parking hell due to the demolition of Pitts Lane and Market Street multi-storey car parks.

And he said council measures such as the daytime park-and-ride scheme at Stadium Close, which is attracting fewer than 20 regular users, were of no use to the night-time trade.

He said: "It is difficult enough to attract people into the town at night without the loss of more spaces.

"None of the main town centre pubs have car parks. There is an urgent need to find more car parking slots.

"The park-and-ride scheme and short-stay Tesco spaces are no help to us either."

Mr Hipkiss, who runs the Tap House, Worcester Street, added: "We agree with town traders that we need a new multi-storey built in a place such as Bromsgrove Street.

"The council really should have identified a car park before it started knocking down the multi-storeys."

Wyre Forest District Council has stressed there will be 4,544 spaces compared to the current 4,129 when Weavers' Wharf is completed.

Its executive is due to consider a report on alternative car parking to cope with the impending loss at a meeting today.

It will debate an increased number of medium stay car parking spaces at Bromsgrove Street car park, New Road car park and land adjacent to the Aldi store.

The authority is also in negotiations with two landowners on the periphery of the town centre for additional long-stay parking for season ticket holders.