ANGRY traders claim their shops are under threat after a brewery ended free parking at a pub in Unsworth.

For years, customers visiting shops in Parr Lane could park behind the Bay Horse.

But last Friday, pub owner Joseph Holt installed pay-and-display machines with a flat £2 daily rate.

It provoked a furious reaction from neighbouring business owners, who say they are already feeling the pinch — and fear it will get worse.

Howard Berry, who owns the Quality Butchers shop next door, said: “Even on the first day of the machines, trade was completely dead.

“We barely had a customer through the door. It’s the same for everyone around here and we are worried.” Andy Nicholson, who owns the newsagents next to the butchers, said: “There was always an unspoken understanding that people could park at the pub with no hassle.

“There are now few parking spots. People have been coming in, but soon they are going to start thinking ‘I’m not going there when I can park for free at a shop down the road’.”

Kesser Mehdi, who runs Wralls News shop, said: “Trading conditions are hard enough at the moment, but this will make it worse.

“People won’t come if they can’t park for free next door and they might not risk coming in for a few minutes if they think they are going to go back to a car with a ticket on it. We don’t understand why the brewery has done this and I would urge them to make the car park free again to stop local trade from suffering.”

Hundreds of patients who use Unsworth Medical Centre will also find themselves with further to walk unless they are prepared to pay or get lucky in finding a free space.

Mr Mark Norbury, trade operations manager for Joseph Holt, said: “It was a commercial decision to introduce this fee due to complaints from our customers that they were having difficulties in parking when visiting this public house.

“The fee is redeemable in the Bay Horse on purchases made, therefore in effect parking for our customers is still free.”