A car park in Kent has been closed to enable the council to carry out essential repairs.
Ashford Borough Council (ABC) revealed that Park Mall car park in Ashford is now out of limits to the public.
There has also been a sign hung up at the entrance of the car park, which says it is closed until further notice, reported Kent Online.
Speaking on behalf of ABC, a local authority spokesperson said it is “impossible to say at this time” when the car park will be reopened.
However, they redirected commuters to other facilities in the area, saying: “Please be advised that there are a number of alternative council car parks available for use nearby, such as Edinburgh Road and Vicarage Lane.”
This comes after the top floor of the car park was previously closed to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area, as much of it took place at the site.
It was re-opened in July 2022, after residents and local businesses complained closing the top floor made the problem of antisocial behaviour worse.
Kati Ramsden from Bare Bazaar shop in Park Mall told the newspaper: “When it is shut, it just becomes a breeding ground for trouble which it should not be. It should be a car park which people can use.”
The car park was meant to install automatic number plate recognition technology when re-opening. However, this is yet to have happened.
While the nature of the essential repairs was also not specified, these often include concrete restoration and repair in car parks.