Traders fear a crime-hit town centre car park will become a “breeding ground for trouble” after it was closed yet again.

Council bosses have been forced to shut the Park Mall facility in Ashford for essential maintenance, and say it is “impossible” to know when it will reopen.

But business owners believe the car park’s closure will only spark more anti-social behaviour at the site.

They say it was blighted by nuisance youths when it was shut between September 2021 and July 2022, and are concerned the issues will return.

Kati Ramsden, of the nearby Bare Bazaar shop in Park Mall, is among those expressing fears the car park will remain closed.

“When it is shut it just becomes a breeding ground for trouble which it should not be, it should be a car park which people can use,” she said.

“Even when it is open, there has been anti-social behaviour there. I opened my back door the other day because there was some noise and there were kids out there blaring out music and kicking a ball against my door.

“It is too soon to tell how much of an impact the car park being closed has had but I know that from last time it was closed for a significant period, it was hard.

“It has been slightly better since it has been reopened but I am anticipating more of the same and it does not feel like fixing it is going to be prioritised which is disappointing.

“It just feels like ABC is going to let it fester.”

Ms Ramsden says she has seen white stalactites hanging from the ceiling of the car park which could be something to do with why it has been shut.

“They are hanging from the ceiling which drip liquid," she added.

"I think it is some sort of mineral deposit and they have been there for some time.

“They were there when the car park was shut originally and when it reopened.

“They did not fix the issue so of course it was going to come back up. I think I saw it drip once onto someone’s car.

“Obviously it is an issue which they need to fix and I wonder why they did not fix it the first time around.”

Vince Monticelli from The Record Store in Park Mall said the closure will impact his business.

“It is of extreme disappointment because they had not got it open across all floors and now they have closed it again,” he said.

The car park was shut last Thursday at 8.30pm and ABC has advised motorists to use alternative council car parks such as Edinburgh Road and Vicarage Lane.

In a statement, ABC said: "Due to essential maintenance work, we have had to temporarily close Park Mall car park.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”