Each year thousands of tourists tour the stately home and gardens, with many using the opportunity to visit Knutsford too.

But since bosses closed the park to protect its livestock from foot-and-mouth disease, King Street and Princess Street have been short of visitors.

"Anyone who knows what they are talking about does not underestimate how important Tatton Park is to us," said Val Boston-Davies, who owns Wares.

"We never have been able to rely on residents. It has always been about visitors who go to the park and then come into Knutsford."

Traders at the railway station end of King Street have blamed roadworks for their losses in the past month.

But Mrs Boston-Davies, who also owns a shop in Princess Street, said last week that it had been quiet all over town.

She suffered her worst day of business after foot-and-mouth disease was suspected at Oakfield Manor Farm, Over Peover.

"No one is exaggerating because it isn't an easy climate to work in and we have had a very difficult few weeks," she said.

This week, Alec Guthrie, spokesman for Knutsford Business Enterprise, confirmed that the town had been quiet, especially at weekends.

"We used to find on Saturday and Sunday lots of people milling around town because they had visited Tatton Park," he said.

"King Street has also suffered because part of it is closed and any disruption means people are going to go elsewhere."

But Ken Andrew, who has 32 years' experience of trading in Knutsford, believed it was a nationwide problem.

Mr Andrew said his Princess Street toy shop, Hal Whittaker's, had lost trade in January and February, but blamed the American recession for the loss of business.

"I think we are on the verge of feeling the effects of their recession and a fall in the stock market," he said.

"There is no such thing as a national picture. It is now a global picture and it is all about confidence.

"If confidence ebbs, shoppers will be more cautious and won't spend on luxury items."