BUSINESSMEN worried about the effect the town's new arts centre will have on trade around Palmyra Square have accused the council of trying to brush their problems under the carpet.

At Monday night's Full Council meeting, deputy leader Mike Hannon slammed an article, in the Warrington GUARDIAN two weeks ago, about fears that the centre, and the traffic regulations it is set to bring with it, would sound the death knell for the already-suffering square.

Businessmen still working from the once-affluent area pointed to the "for sale" signs and the run down appearance of the square and said this could only get worse if their customers weren't allowed access in their cars.

But the council hopes the arts centre, which will be housed in the old court house on Winmarleigh Street and paid for with lottery money, will bring new life to the area with a "pavement cafe" culture.

And at Monday's meeting Clr Mike Hannon said he had met with the protesters and many of them had shown regret at the tone of the article and had left happy.

But campaign leader Chris Thompson of accountants Voisey and Co said: "When we were in the meeting we were even more upset. The councillors told us they are not anti-business, but the officers told us they only have money for a cycling and pedestrian culture. We said that is totally contradictory to the needs of businesses.

"They are indulging their whims at someone else's expense. They are not paying for the arts centre and they are not suffering loss of property values on Palmyra Square."

He added: "We certainly don't regret anything about the article. We are feeling very frustrated. Our businesses have been here for a long time. It is very arrogant of them to just announce this, say that they are going to go ahead and then try to cover up our complaints.

"We are business rate payers and employers in the town. Councillors are just custodians for the town for the time they are elected."

But Clr Hannon stood by his comments. "I chaired the meeting and wouldn't have made those comments in Full Council without some substance. Eight or so people did show regret about the tone of the article and none of them was opposed to the arts centre itself.

"It was a very constructive meeting. There may be ways and means we can accommodate some of their worries about the traffic issue."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.