TRADERS have been assured that their businesses will not suffer while Sainsbury’s is being built after they expressed concern that trade in Dursley will take a nosedive.

Councillors have assured local traders that finding adequate car parking while Sainsbury’s is being built is their top priority and confirmed that the swimming pool car park will remain open during the build.

"We know that good parking is vital to the town’s economy so we are making it a priority to find as many extra spaces as possible, but it is certainly not easy," said Cllr Dennis Andrewartha, county councillor for Dursley. "Every possible site seems to have a host of problems to overcome."

The Gazette reported in June that traders in Dursley are very concerned that trade in the town centre will suffer because over 100 car parking spaces will be lost when the supermarket builds on the Rackfield car park.

"I think it is going to be a horrendous time for the town without the car parking," said Margaret Harbard, owner of the Dursley Pet Shop in Parsonage Street.

"Trade will take a nosedive. Once the town goes dead everyone will suffer, I just hope all the traders realise how difficult it is going to be."

The Rackfield car park has 117 spaces that are for long stay use and are used by workers in Dursley who need to park all day.

If more spaces cannot be found to replace the Rackfield car park then councillors have agreed that they will make some of the current short stay spaces into long stay.

Vicky Hancock, town centre manager, said: "We are still exploring ideas for providing extra parking in the town centre.

"This would be the ideal solution. However, if this is not possible we would be able to change the restrictions on some of the other car parks so that they could be used for both short stay and long stay parking."