It would normally be packed with visitors - but one decision has left it 'a ghost town'

"People have stopped coming because they have nowhere to park," says Anna Sheridan, owner of Plumcake cafe in Bramhall's Village Square shopping centre.

On a sunny September day the place would normally be packed with people pottering around the shops and chatting over coffee in its central square. But the decision to close the Village Square car park for work by United Utilities has left the area a 'ghost town' - and businesses say they will struggle to survive.

The water company closed the car park last week to start a project aimed at improving water quality in the nearby Micker Brook. The firm's initial ground investigation started on September 4 and is set to last six weeks, in the hope of reducing the number of times the local storm overflow operates.

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The full works will start next year and take place over a longer time, with the exact timescales due to be confirmed later this year.

While there are alternative parking spots in the area, including at the nearby Meadway car park, businesses said many customers needed to park at Village Square to put shopping in their car, or reduce walking distances for elderly or disabled visitors.

For businesses like Plumcake café, the impact of the current closure has already been "catastrophic", Ms Sheridan said.

She added: "It could wipe out the whole of Bramhall, people will go to other places. My people are just not coming, we won't survive this, I'm already thinking about what to do next."

In truth, the Village Square has seen a drop in footfall since its Sainsbury's store relocated in February 2023, traders say, but they warned the lack of parking is now leading to even fewer customers.

Denise Cardew is a