SEAFRONT traders are furious a council car park will be closed on the busiest weekend of the year.

Businesses in Marine Parade and Eastern Esplanade believe their trade will be ruined over Southend airshow weekend because no one will be able to park nearby.

The free airshow, taking place on Sunday and Monday May 30 and 31, usually sees thousands of people visit the town.

But on both days, the Fairheads Green car park, in Eastern Esplanade, next to Sea Life Adventure, will be used for a roadshow by BBC science programme, Bang Goes The Theory.

Southchurch Avenue, from the seafront to the Woodgrange Drive roundabout, and Eastern Esplanade, up to Victoria Road, will be also closed both days from 6am.

This is to allow a rendezvous point and route for emergency vehicles if there are any incidents.

But Graham Rawlinson, who runs Fantasia Amusements opposite the car park and has been trading on the seafront for 34 years, thinks this, on top of the City Beach roadworks and the recession, will kill custom.

He said: “Our profits are already 60 per cent down on last year because of the roadworks, and last year we were 50 per cent down because of the recession. We’re not really surviving here, to be honest.

“We all feed off this car park – it’s a key car park. There’s not much car parking left, they’ve all been built on.”

George Zinonos, of Ye Olde Chippy in Marine Parade, said: “It’s not clever to shut the only car park on the seafront on those days.

“And they’re closing Southchurch Road, so it’s going to be gridlocked.

“There will be lots of people coming here and not able to park their car.”

But Southend’s councillor for tourism, Ian Robertson, said the car park closure was vital.

He said: “Due to the nature of the air festival and the vast crowds it brings to the town, we have a responsibility to ensure everyone’s safety.

“Because of the road closures, the Fairheads Green car park has been closed because it will not be possible for vehicles to access it.”

Mr Robertson said the road show will attract “huge numbers of visitors” to that part of the seafront, which should boost custom for seafront traders as well as give Southend national TV exposure.

The council is encouraging visitors to use public transport, with trains and buses laying on extra capacity, though all available car parks will be clearly signed.