One level of a huge car park that has sat empty for 18 months has now been completely blocked off after constantly being blighted by anti-social behaviour.

The top floor of the 300-space Park Mall car park in Ashford is boarded up at all entrances to stop youths trespassing and vandalising the site.

Traders say the yobs have been starting fires and even throwing tin cans and traffic cones off the roof at passers-by.

While the businesses welcome the crackdown, they also fear permanently losing the 260 parking spaces on the top floor is hitting footfall.

The Park Mall car park has not been fully operational since before September 2021, when former operator NCP closed the facility with just 32 hours notice.

While the bottom floor with 44 parking spaces later reopened when Ashford Borough Council (ABC) took over the site, no plan has ever been set out for the top floor.

Cones were used to stop cars gaining access to the level, but it was still accessible by foot and has been targeted by vandals ever since.

Now, wooden boards block the ramps to crackdown on the issue.

A council spokesman said: “Access to the top floor of the Park Mall car park has been closed off as a result of ongoing anti-social behaviour in this area. We will monitor the situation closely.”

Some Park Mall shopping centre traders are worried about the impact of the decision.

Danny Oliphant, owner of Ashford Key Services, fears closing off the top level for good could be "the final nail in the coffin" for business owners.

"I'm not happy about it. It has killed the trade around here," he said. "A lot of the shops are shutting.

"The kids are often smashing stuff but there is an answer to that - open the car park again.

"It's simple, it doesn’t take a lot of brains to know that.

"Covid killed the town centre. This is the final nail in the coffin."

While other traders would also like to see it back open for parking, many are pleased the issue of anti-social behaviour is being addressed.

Kati Ramsden, who runs Bare Bazaar, said: "Part of me thought, good they’re blocking it off which means the anti-social behaviour will stop, but the other part of me thought, obviously they’re doing it because there is no long-term view to re-open the car park.

"Myself and other business owners in meetings have said it needs to be done because the anti-social behaviour is scary and intimidating and it puts people off coming into town which affects all of us as business owners.

"It is a shame but with Edinburgh Road back open, it makes it a bit better. Anti-social behaviour doesn't seem to be happening any more but it's early days so we will see."

Yobs have also caused £500 of damage to Vince Monticelli's car, who is owner of The Record Store, also in Park Mall.

"I've had tin cans thrown at me from the roof and a traffic cone smashed through my windscreen from a great height after parking in the service area," he said.

"We’ve had fires started upstairs, so there is definitely an issue.

"It's less noticeable since they blocked it off because they’re not getting in so easily."

While he is pleased to see the reduction in crime, he feels Ashford still needs more parking to attract shoppers.

"I had an interesting guy come in the other day who said he only comes into Ashford every five years because they don't encourage you to park anywhere," he added.

"You can go to other places and there are free parking areas within easy reach of the high street, but here you have to pay for everything.

"Although the council have done a decent thing and after 3pm you can park for free, but guess who comes out after 3pm? All the kids from school. So the anti-social problem clashes with potential customers.

"I think Ashford definitely needs more parking. It's a shame to lose it but if it's a choice between somebody getting hurt or reducing the parking, I guess we will have to settle for reducing parking."

Russell Geen, who owns The Little Teapot cafe in Park Mall, feared the facility might never reopen when NCP initially closed it.

Mr Geen added: "I’ve got leaks from the car park coming through my ceiling and it's getting worse.

"With all the kids and vandalism up there, it was obvious they were not going to reopen it.

"Why can’t the council be up front and honest and say they are going to leave it until they are going to develop Park Mall. I would like to see it open because if all these homes are being built, there needs to be a decent town centre."

As part of its ‘long-term vision’ for the town centre, ABC previously said it plans to convert the shopping centre into a residential development, with existing independent businesses moved to Bank Street.

Speaking about the anti-social behaviour in Ashford, district commander Ch Insp Sarah Rivett said: "Kent Police understands the impact of anti-social behaviour on residents and businesses and we work with partner agencies to identify anyone involved and take action against them.

"Ashford has a dedicated town centre team of officers who are on regular patrol, engaging with businesses and residents and hearing any concerns they may have.

"More than 60 town centre businesses also keep in contact with local police through radios supplied under the Ashford Partnership Against Crime (APAC) scheme.

"Ashford also benefits from the excellent Streetwise App, which gives people the best possible information to keep themselves safe, and the Safe Spaces Scheme, which ensures that anyone who needs help can seek safety in a local business.

"I urge anyone who experiences anti-social behaviour in Ashford, or anywhere else in the district, to report it to us as soon as possible, either through our website or by calling 999 if a crime is in progress."