DESPONDENT tra-ders have blamed misleading flood reports and out-of-date road signs for landing Bewdley businesses in the doldrums.

Chamber of Trade members say they are counting the cost of flooding in the town centre over the last two weeks and have raised concern about the public being led to believe the whole town was closed during the floods.

Restaurant and pub proprietors, including the Mulberry restaurant and The Angel pub, also reported a significant loss of business despite being open as normal.

Although highways managers denied they had been slow to take down "Bewdley Flooded" signs, chamber secretary Sue Barton said it was felt signs could have been managed better.

"We contacted Wyre Forest District Council on several occasions to get the signs taken down but they blamed schoolchildren for putting the signs up again. When the bridge was re-opened on the Saturday after the big flood, signs were still up on roads into town on Tuesday.

"Not only did it stop shoppers coming in it stopped deliveries as well. The police would not allow HGVs in at all. The bottom line is the signs should have been taken away."

She said the meeting also deplored radio reports that repeatedly referred to Bewdley being closed at a time when traders hoped to see the start of Christmas shopping.

Mrs Barton's clothes shop is reckoned to be "a good 80 per cent down" on business.

Specialist shop Forever Christmas also reported a severe business slump just when it was expecting a seasonal boost. Owner Pam Wilson said: "No-one is coming in. People just think the town has died."

Guy Timmis's hardware store, which has done well on candle and other emergency goods sales, also saw a "noticeable fall" in cookware sales. And Ann Wilson, of Tipplers off-licence, said: "The town is devastated. We had thousands of sightseers and if they had all spent £1 we would be off on holiday. But they just treated us like a goldfish bowl and spent nothing."

A spokesman for the Highways Partnership, a county and district council operating arrangement, said road flood signs had been "taken down and taken away" as soon as roads were opened.