A tiny car park featuring just FIVE spaces has opened in a town facing endless parking troubles.

Bosses at NCP, who previously ran the 300-space Park Mall car park in Ashford, have just opened a new facility in Queen Street.

The new 24-hour site near County Square starts at 95p per hour and chiefs say they are always looking for potential sites, of all sizes, in a variety of locations around the UK.

But Ashford business owners who fear Christmas trade will be affected by the lack of parking facilities say the new site won't make a difference.

The top floor of Park Mall car park is currently closed, while the neighbouring Edinburgh Road multi-storey has been shut since July amid safety concerns, but is expected to reopen before Christmas.

"I don't think the new site will make a blind bit of difference," said Vince Monticelli, owner of The Record Store in Park Mall.

"I don't even know where the Queen Street car park is.

"I like the Park Mall site because it's right behind my store, but it fills up very quickly.

"The payment machines aren't working either, and I got a ticket the other day as I didn't see signs saying you had to pay on RingGo.

"Edinburgh Road opening would be even better."

Kati Ramsden, owner of Bare Bazaar in Park Mall, says more parking can't hurt, but she thinks Queen Street car park, based at the junction with Elwick Lane, is too far away to be useful.

"Any parking is good," she said.

"But I have lots of people coming in to shop who can't park close enough to be able to transport the stuff back to their car.

"A lady came in recently saying she wanted to do some shopping at Wilko but couldn't park close enough.

"I will be more glad when Park Mall fully reopens."

It is currently unclear why the majority of the 300-space Park Mall car park – which NCP suddenly closed in September last year – remains closed.

At the time of the shock closure of the car park, Ashford Borough Council, which now owns the site, said NCP no longer wanted to run the facility after a financial restructuring.

But NCP, which also runs County Square's car parks, has recently confirmed it was a mutual agreement for the company to leave the site.

"As with all car parks we have an agreed lease with our landlords," a spokesperson said.

"Should there be a break in the lease, or the lease comes to an end, then there would be a natural point to consider the relationship going forward.

"In this (Park Mall's) case we terminated the site and we left by mutual agreement."

The Queen Street car park costs 95p for up to one hour, £1.95 for one to two hours; £4.45 for two to three; £7.45 for three to 24 hours, and £2.95 for all day Sunday.

Drivers need to download the ParkPass app to use the ticketless facility.