FEARS that Addingham motorists could be prey to wheel clampers when they use village shops have arisen because of a plan to abolish free parking at a Main Street pub.

Letters have been sent around the village saying that from November 1, villagers will not be able to use the car park at the Swan Inn on Main Street for free. Previously there had been an agreement that the car park could be used by shoppers as well as pub goers.

At its meeting last week, parish council chairman Gordon Campbell read out extracts from the letter sent by the landlord of the Swan, Richard Barrow.

The letter says that pub customers cannot find a space in the car park because of other vehicles parked there.

Coun Campbell said: "It is a commercial decision and I can see he has got two points. The car park is full of cars and no-one is in the pub. The people who want go to the pub in their cars cannot get in because the car park is full.

"It will be a 'Pay and Display', and we are talking wheel clampers because he will not have a licence to fine people."

Parish councillor Sheila Hamilton was horrified at the idea of wheel clampers entering the village in search of victims.

She said: "I don't want Addingham to be associated with some gung-ho agency. I am uncomfortable about what I have read.

"I have been in the car park several times and it has rarely been full and it is extremely dark. It is not worth parking there if you are a woman on your own.

"It is going to be a private company. It is inviting these horrible wheel clampers to our lovely village. People are worried about gung-ho clamping agencies and I think they are perfectly right to be worried. We don't want the village to be besieged by these private companies."

Parish councillor Alan Jerome suggested that the parish council try to reach a compromise over the car park which contained around 30 to 40 spaces.

Coun Jerome said: "Would it not be possible to try to designate part of the car park for village parking. The car park is much too big for all the needs of the Swan.

"I would have thought that would be some compromise - you do see some cars in the same place, never moving for week after week."

Coun Campbell said: "We must respect his decision. One way round it would be for us to lease it from the Swan but you have to police it and we would be responsible for insurance.

"I think he is trying to generate income from an existing asset. I think there are a lot of people who go to the doctors and staff at the doctors who park in there."

Coun Campbell said there was already a 'wheel clamping' sign at the car park at the Sailor, also on Main Street, and that car park was fenced off during the day to prevent people parking.

Parish councillor Danny Palmer said that any restrictions on parking on the Swan car park would increase congestion in the village

He said: "All you are going to do is to have people off the car park and on the streets."

The Gazette contacted the Swan for a comment but Mr Barrow is away at the moment. The Swan is owned by the West Midlands-based Enterprise Inns, a member of the Portman Group of companies.

A company spokesman declined an invitation to comment about the issue of car parking at the public house.