AN Evesham record store owner has hit out at claims the trouble surrounding the Abbey Bridge is to blame for the closure of businesses in the town.

John Fisher, who has run Recent and Rare Records in Bridge Street since 1991, claimed the closure of Evesham Abbey Bridge, which ended up going on for nearly six months instead of ten weeks, didn't impact his business.

The shop owner, who deals in collectable music including records and tapes, said it was easy to use the road problems in the town as a scape goat.

"It's easy to blame the bridge closure on your demise and Wychavon as well, but neither affected me," said Mr Fisher, who appeared in the first ever Grow in Wychavon book promoting local and independent businesses. His comments come after another independent record store in the town was forces to close its doors.

"I am doing fine," he added. "We do a lot of mail order in the store as well. One of the things that does affect me thought is the car parking in the town.

"But I think Wychavon have done all they can to support us."