Business owners on Kenilworth's Warwick Road have said they actually took less money during the town's light switch on than on a normal trading day - because their shop fronts were blocked from view.

Companies on the town's main thoroughfare have called on Warwick District Council to make the popular community event "fairer" for all traders in the town centre, and listen to feedback ahead of next year's event.

Despite the 4,000 extra people heading into Kenilworth on Sunday 1 December, businesses - particularly on the Barrow Road side of the street - said the positioning of stalls and fairground rides actually blocked them from view, and discouraged punters from coming in.

Carl Edmonds, who owns the new Edmonds Jewellers, said he came to open on the morning of Sunday 1 December only to find the front of his new unit had been shut out by a huge white van. A problem which would have been worse had the Ferris wheel arrived as planned.

He said the number of units in the centre of Warwick Road effectively made the pavements a "no-go" area, and stopped people coming into the shop on what should have been the busiest day of the year.

Business owners said the pavement on Warwick Road became a 'no-go area' (image supplied)

"It's frustrating when you pay a huge amount in rates to be on the high street, and that event should be a great chance for people to know where we are," he told Nub News.

"But we were completely covered up and nobody could see us.

"When we said this to the council on the day, the attitude was 'we are doing you a favour with this event' - but actually it didn't feel like that at all."

Carl said the shop - which had extra staff in specially - actually took 50 per cent less than the day before, despite the thousands of extra potential customers.

Owner of Morning Sunshine Coffee, Ashley Davis, also told Nub News he felt the event was a missed opportunity for the town's newest café.

"Our sales were down as well," he said.

"Our businesses need people to be able to see the front, to see what we sell, and get dragged in.

"It's a critical day for us to showcase what we do. 

"It's not always about the increase in sales, it's the marketing appeal of getting people who don't know your business to come through, have a look, and then come back in the future as well.

"But we were completely boxed in and covered up, so nobody could see us."

Ashley said Warwick District Council's light switch on in Leamington Spa is better coordinated as the businesses on The Parade do not get screened, and therefore hugely benefit from the extra footfall.

The two business owners told Nub News they had spoken to others on the street who had experienced a downturn in sales on Sunday 1 December - and say it is "the same every year".

The owners said they took less money at the light switch on than the day before - despite the extra 4,000 people (image supplied)

They said they tried to talk to organisers on the day - but it was too late to make any real changes.

Their suggestion is the stalls alternate year on year which side of the road they are set up on - so the impact is shared across the businesses - and pointed out previously the rides had been at Abbey End, and therefore not impacted shopfronts to the same extent.

And with the popular community event coming back next year, Carl said he hoped the council would take feedback on board from the shops, cafes and restaurants.

"We were trying to get hold of them at least a week or two beforehand, to try and say which side's going to be on, that's the plan, to see if we could get it talked about being alternated," he explained. 

"But we kept getting pushed around to different people.

"I'm all for every single business benefiting - this is not about us. 

"This is about finding a better solution for something that - in my view - only affects one side of the road.

"I think just a consultation with all the businesses to work out what's fair for everybody. And if it can't be fair one year, then switch to the next, so over time it evens out.

"Not everybody has all the answers. 

"But if the council gets the businesses all together in advance, working together we can make the event as successful as it can possibly be for the people of the town and the businesses of the town."

In previous years the fairground rides have been at Abbey End (image via Warwick District Council)

In response to a request for comment from Nub News, the council's events team said it hand delivered letters to all businesses before the event with an opportunity to respond with any questions or queries during the planning stage. 

"Wherever possible the footways outside trading businesses were left open to maintain access and visibility, in addition food and drink concessions are traditionally positioned away from the high street businesses," the local authority said.

"There are however a number of factors which will determine the layout, such as a location where the funfair rides will fit and also to ensure that access for the emergency services is maintained.

"The council reviews each event and welcomes any feedback which will make a valuable contribution to these discussions and plans for next year."