The owner of Arbroath café the KoKo Bean has announced its closure saying parking charges have helped “kill the high street”.
Stacy Finlay, who will continue to make deliveries of cakes, cheesecakes and sweeties, said there has been “knock on effect” created by the closure of the first few businesses in the town.
The café opened in 2016 but she said footfall has dropped, despite the café’s location on the main thoroughfare between Arbroath Abbey and the harbour.
She said: “Parking charges have affected all of the small businesses in the town. And the closure of the first few have had a knock on effect on the rest.
“No-one will pay to park in a ghost town, no-one will reopen previously closed businesses in a ghost town. The high street is dead and we have to accept it or fix it.”
She said business in Arbroath should be blooming, adding: “From our point we have done all we can, so now we just have to accept it.
“It’s sad. But seems like it’s just the way it is.”
She said the time had come for high street property owners and letting agents to cut commercial rents.
“I definitely think higher rent buildings on a high street that has no footfall is unrealistic. Especially when it is no busier than any other part of the town.
“There is absolutely zero maintenance carried out on the high street and then to ask people to pay to park and shop here was never going to work.”
She said she would now focus on her delivery business: “The town has not seen the last of us yet,” she added.
Angus parking charges, introduced in November last year, are being increasingly cited for reducing footfall in town centres across the county.
Bakery Goodfellow and Steven sales director Martin Goodfellow said the charges had been a factor in the recent closure of its Carnoustie café.
While a recent survey of Forfar town centre businesses found at least four could close in the coming months, citing reduced footfall.
An Angus Council spokesman said: “We regret the closure of any local business, which can be the result of a wide range of factors.
“Many, if not most high streets are subject to parking restrictions and a requirement to pay to park locally.
“In Angus, it is possible to park for free on street in designated areas for up to 30 minutes. Off street parking is available for just £1 an hour up to a maximum of £4 hours, and our permits offer parking for as little as 85p per day.
“This stands fair comparison against our neighbouring local authority areas and anywhere else in the UK.”