SHOPS in Darlington town centre are reporting a 20pc to 50pc drop in trade.

Nightmare roadworks, a lost car park and the introduction of controversial on-street parking charges are all blamed.

Grange Road traders have repeatedly claimed the 80p one-hour meters have driven away customers.

Council leader John Williams and town hall officers have always denied the claims, alleging the hour limit meant a quicker turnover and more shoppers.

But on Wednesday, after Binns and the Cornmill Centre both weighed in, there were signs of a shift in the council's position.

Karen Stainthorpe, a manager at Binns, told the D&S Times the one-hour limit was too short.

"It is impossible to do anything in an hour, but if you could park for a couple of hours it would be better," she said.

The limit, coupled with the roadworks, were putting people off.

"It would be nice if the council could do something to encourage people to come in," she said. "If it can't offer free parking, what about reduced parking or allowing people to park for free for the first hour?"

Susan Young, manager of the Cornmill Centre, said "footfall" was down compared to last year. She blamed a mixture of the national slowdown, the closure of the Crown Street car park and roadworks.

Jeremy Borlant, director of Seymour's in the market place, said: "Trading is down nationally but, with the car park closure and roadworks, our trade has been seriously hit.

"We don't get any passing trade. We are having to rely on our regular customers. This is a family business and it's a life or death situation."

He said other independent and owner-managed businesses were considering their futures.

Mr Borlant had suggested the council should re-open the market place as a temporary car park but a spokesman rejected the idea.

He also dismissed Binns' proposal of limited free parking or a reduced charge.

"We would not consider at this time free parking or free for the first hour parking," said the spokesman.

However, he did say the council would consider looking at two-hour parking for Grange Road and review other on-street parking areas.

The results of a six-month review of the Grange Road parking scheme were awaited when the traders comments would be considered.

"We are naturally concerned but the drop in trade generally mirrors the national trend," the spokesman claimed.

The council plans to open the upper floor of the East Street car park although it is expected to take four months for work to be completed.

"We are talking to businesses on how we can promote Darlington. We are trying our best to keep disruption to a minimum," claimed the spokesman.

But even when all the work is finished and Crown Street re-opens in December, many more months of disruption will occur while major town centre pedestrianisation works are carried out.