Traders fear a hike in car parking charges could “destroy” the city’s retail sector by pushing people to shop online and elsewhere.

Prices are to rise by 25% to £3.50 an hour at the city’s most popular Watling Street and Queningate car parks.

City council bosses say the additional revenue from parking - which makes up more than a quarter of the authority’s income - will help plug its £5 million deficit.

But shop owners say the move could prove “completely counter-productive”.

Mark Pegg, head of business at The Brogue Trader, which works in partnership with Loake shoemakers, said: “If people are having to pay more, are they going to travel in?

“The biggest complaint we get from customers is the price of parking.

“And because parking’s more expensive, people don’t stay in the city as long. From a retail perspective, the longer someone stays in the city, the more they are likely to spend.”

Mr Pegg says the tariff hike will drive people to instead shop at large centres like Bluewater and Westwood Cross.

He said: “Am I going to go to a shop in Canterbury where I have to pay however much and end up clock-watching, or am I going to go somewhere else where parking’s free and I don’t have to worry about how long I stay?

“I think the city council could be a bit more creative with parking, and try to incentivise people to come into the city, rather than detracting people.

“Why not have every Sunday free?

“We understand there’s a big hole in the budget and that has to be made up somehow, but thinking about visitors to the city, is this the best way to fill that gap?”

Neil Munro, owner of The IT Store in Burgate, has also criticised the council’s move.

“They’re shooting themselves in the foot,” he said.

“The concern is that it’s going to be completely counter-productive.

“It feels like they’re not investing in the town.

“If [the city council is] forcing people to pay more, people are not going to come in.

“They’re more likely to go shopping online, which is going to destroy retail even more.

“More people are going to go online at a time when CCC should be encouraging people - especially smaller independents like us - to bring in as much business as we can.

“And unfortunately this is going to push people to use Amazon and things like that.”

Emma North, owner of Queen Bee Home, feels parking should be free for two hours to encourage shoppers to the city.

“The cost of living has gone up, people’s finances are stretched,” she said. “Anything that deters customers is bad.”

She added that she currently parks a 15-minute walk from her shop to save money.

“It costs a couple of hours’ wages to park,” she said.

Co-owner of Canterbury Pottery Jan Chapman described parking hikes as “the council’s go-to cash-cow”, adding that some customers have told her they will not be visiting the city again in light of increasing costs.

The city council was approached for a comment.