A proposed trial pedestrianisation of Falmouth’s main shopping streets next summer could be reduced from months to weeks following representations from local traders who fear the impact the car ban could have on business.

Town manager, Richard Gates, and Falmouth Business Improvement District manager, Richard Wilcox, have come up with the idea of creating a car free town centre between 11am and 4pm for a trial period following the reaction to car free days during this year’s Falmouth Week and Tall Ships Regatta.

When Mr Gates put the suggestion before the town council and then the Association of Falmouth Traders, he had envisaged the trial operating between mid June and mid September.

“This is in its very, very early stages of getting people’s feedback,” Mr Gates told traders. “We are not doing it as a closed shop, not saying it’s 100 per cent going ahead but a lot of people would like to see it go ahead. Residents would like it to happen and visitors cannot believe the town is not pedestrianised, they just find it absolutely crazy.

“There are lots of advantages and for some people, disadvantages. Safety is the most important priority but equally we don’t want any businesses suffering, we want you to capitalise on it.”

Brent Pinhay, of Trago Mills, had already claimed the traffic ban during Tall Ships had resulted in a 25 per cent drop in turnover for the store because it rendered its forecourt off limits.

“We obviously cannot sustain that,” he said. “We had agreed not to take our forklifts down and when we agreed to that, we closed half the store off. The majority of our takings come from bulky items.”

He requested that any proposed traffic ban should stop at Swanpool Street to which Mr Gates confirmed the plan was to introduce it as far as Quay Street/Quay Hill meaning it would affect Market Street, Church Street and most of Arwenack Street.

Nick Turuelo from Specsavers also had reservations. “What we do is very much catered for the local market and we have a lot of elderly patients,” he said.

“We do suffer whenever the town is shut. It does make a lot of sense, but as a business it hurts us. I would like see to a four to six week trial and not three months.”

Keith Eddy of DeWynns coffee shop agreed: “A three month period is too long for a test. I am not actually against pedestrianisation as such, but it will affect my business there is no doubt about it. When the car park is closed, it affects my business.”

Mr Gates welcomed the comments and suggestions from traders and assured the meeting that they will be taken into consideration when decisions are made.