The square in Castletown will remain open for parking during the season except for when events are on and it will shut.

As a consequence, one of the town’s oldest businesses, Radcliffes Butchers, has withdrawn plans to leave.

At last week’s local authority meeting, chairman Colin Leather proposed they shut the whole square to parking for the season.

He quoted research conducted by the authority previously which showed this was the preferred option for 71% of respondents.

Dave Parnell said: ’Until we have a parking strategy for the town we should limit parking in the square to 30 minutes and have periods of closure.’

Jimmy Cubbon said they need to decide how parking at the fire station site on Farrant’s Way - which is coming under the local authority’s ownership - is going to be used. He added: ’We have to consider everybody, including the traders; if we do not protect them, who will?’

A retail expert told them previously each parking space is worth £100 an hour to traders. He said parking ’has got to be flexible’.

Mr Leather said commissioners clerk Hugo Mackenzie is working on a parking strategy.

Local trader Chris Lennon, from Radcliffe Butchers, attended the meeting and was permitted to speak.

Last June, Mr Lennon put his business on the market because the local authority closed half the square to car parking until September.

He said like other traders in town, the business has endured years of disruption and reduced parking was the last straw.

He said: ’We should keep the square open. We should keep plan a (regarding a parking strategy) until plan b is in place. We should have 30 minutes’ parking and close it for events. I would love to take down the for sale sign.’

He added: ’We can do something with this town. It’s 10 years since we had a kick at a proper summer.

Mr Leather withdrew his proposal and Mr Parnell’s amendment was supported by the majority of the board.

Jimmy Cubbon said: ’It’s a compromise until we sort something out.’