Street traders have been left in limbo and fearing for their livelihoods after being told there is no guarantee they will have a pitch next year.

A review of high street stalls and wagons across Canterbury city centre is currently under way and could see many operators denied new permits after December.

Frankie Fernando has spoken of his anger about the decision

The bombshell news – announced in a shock email to traders from the city council – has come "out of the blue" to many traders.

It comes as part of a wider review of market and street trading in Canterbury, following a controversial decision to revamp St George's Street.

The £1 million makeover – due to start early next year – will spell the end of the city's market and leave stallholders with no place to set up.

And it has now been revealed that street traders elsewhere in the city centre – selling everything from pancakes and hot dogs, to bobble hats and phone cases – could also be at risk.

The council is not issuing any trading permits beyond December during the review, with current operators given no guarantee they will have a pitch after Christmas.

Frankie Fernando, who has run the popular Gourmet Sausage and Burger Company unit in the High Street for 14 years, says the news is "devastating".

"This is a bolt out of the blue for us street traders," he said.

"I can't understand why we have been drawn into this because the High Street is not affected by the refurbishment.

"Many of us have invested in our units. I spent £40,000 on mine and even paid to have an electricity supply installed so we didn't need to use diesel generators.

"But now all we have is uncertainty hanging over us."

Mr Fernando says he has built the business up to be the top-rated on Tripadvisor for street food in Kent.

"My staff and their livelihoods could be affected too," he continued.

"It's just made us all feel very unsettled and anxious.

"I have a family and two daughters to support and I am having sleepless nights about it. They're destroying lives."

The decision has also been criticised by city councillor Pip Hazleton, who is a member of the authority's regeneration committee and voted against the disbanding of the market.

She says the review of street trading should have taken place before the plans to refurbish St George's Street were brought before the committee.

"This has come as a most unwelcome shock, at a poor trading time of year, when most traders are still trying to get back on their feet following two years of restricted trading opportunities due to Covid," she added.

"I have a family and two daughters to support and am having sleepless nights about it. They're destroying lives..."

Council spokesman Rob Davies says the review of street trading should be complete by the summer.

"We have written to the street traders to let them know it's under way and to give them advance notice that as a result, for a temporary period, we won't be issuing licences beyond December," he said.

"We will be especially keen to hear the views of the traders during this process, which will take a few months. Once complete, we will be able to provide them with certainty once again."