A WELL-KNOWN York fish and-chip restaurant says it faces closure if plans to sell off a nearby car and coach park go ahead.

The owners of Wackers, in Gillygate, said about 60 per cent of their trade came from the Union Terrace park and they would “not survive” without it.

City of York Council’s ruling Labour group plans to sell the area to York St John University for a campus extension, which they say would open the way to ploughing £2 million into a city-centre revitalisation scheme and create more than 100 jobs.

But campaigners have warned the loss of visitors would devastate business for Gillygate traders and make it harder for patients and relatives to visit nearby York Hospital and Gillygate Surgery.

Jill Richards, the co-owner of Wackers, said: “If the car park closes, we will close.

“We were in disbelief about the plans. We are not one of the big players in the field and we rely on tourists in the city wanting fish and chips. We could not survive without the tourists.

“It’s going to affect the whole city. It’s a very narrow view that they think this coach park is nothing to the traders. It’s our livelihood. We have spent a long time building up Gillygate.”

Mrs Richards said she had spoken to coach drivers, who had said they would not come to York if the coach park was not available.

She said St George’s Field regularly flooded and proposed “drop-off points” would not allow drivers to wait long enough for their clients.

Her concerns were echoed by manager Barry Bainbridge, who said: “It’s not looking good if it does happen. It’s a bit devastating really. Wackers has been here since 1995 and we have a good customer base, but it’s not enough to keep it going.”

A decision will be made about the coach park on August 4, following an extraordinary meeting of the council and subsequent meeting of the Labour group’s cabinet.