Traders fear tourism and businesses could be under threat after seafront Parking fees were increased by almost 300 per cent.

Motorists parking on Brighton and Hove seafront will now pay £9 to park for six hours or more, compared to £2.30 this time last year, a 291 per cent increase.

The summer all-day parking charge had already crept up to £6 this year from last winter's £2.30 fee but traders say Brighton and Hove City Council's new prices are too high.

The hike is the talk of the seafront among traders and visitors, who were left scrabbling around in wallets looking for £9 in change for the ticket machine, which does not take notes.

Glenn Harman, who owns Waves Cafe Bar in Madeira Drive and the nearby gift shop with his partner Annette Kettle, said the winter trade will be affected the most as visitors will choose towns along the coast, where parking is cheaper.

Mr Harman, who has owned the businesses for seven years, said: "It's an astronomical increase. I can't even find words to express the impact this will have on us."

Fellow seafront trader Paul Ktorides, who works for the Beach Cafe near the Palace Pier and whose boss runs the Seagull Cafe in Madeira Drive, said the fees would deter out-of-season tourists and families.

He said: "A lot of our customers were parking on the seafront because it was cheaper than the car parks in the centre. They would come past us and come in while on their way to do Christmas shopping but now they will just use the city centre."

He fears Madeira Drive traders will become isolated from the rest of the city as people choose to park in the centre.

Sean Donnelly, manager of Terraces Bar and Grill in the Aquarium Terraces, said traders had not even been told of the increase.

He arrived at work on Thursday morning, when the charges came into force to find council notices taped to the ticket machines.

He said: "I put my money in the machine, £6, and the ticket gave me until 3pm. I looked and realised it had gone up to £9. We didn't get a letter or anything."

Mr Harman said: "What I don't like about this is it smacks of elitism and arrogance.

"The council hasn't even had the grace to inform us. Parking and fuel prices are emotive subjects and people might come into Brighton once and pay it but they will then feel ripped off and won't come back.

"The bubble will burst in Brighton in two or three years when people start realising how expensive it is."

Mr Harman's partner Ms Kettle said: "I think to maintain a good level of foot traffic along this end of Brighton they have to have an out-of-season tariff."

Mike Andrews, 46, from Emsworth, near Portsmouth, was in Brighton for business yesterday. He was shocked at the level of the increase.

The father-of-three said: "It's a bit steep. To be honest it would put me off bringing the kids here. My wife would moan about it. I guess it's the price of lunch for my three."

Another visitor, Sarah Sweeney, 25, from East Grinstead, said: "I think it will put people off and it's a nuisance trying to find that much change.

"I would probably use the car parks in the centre in the future because at least you pay for your ticket when you've been shopping and the machines take notes."

Brighton and Hove Conservative leader Garry Peltzer Dunn criticised the council for failing to consult with traders and residents before introducing the charges.

He said: "I'm against using this money to bail out the administration."

He suggested some of the extra £1.3 million the charges were expected to raise this year be directed to secure the future of the number 96 school bus, which is threatened with withdrawal.

Tory councillor Geoffrey Theobald accused Labour of "decimating" trade in Brighton and Hove by forcing people to leave the city to do their shopping.

He said: "The victims are the small traders. It's appalling because people are just going to turn their heels and drive elsewhere. You are ruining traders and businesses."

But Green leader Keith Taylor accused opponents of lacking vision.

He said: "This council has signed up to reducing the amount of cars in this city. You should not be allowed to drive into the city for less than the cost of catching the bus."

And Labour's environment councillor Gill Mitchell said: "There's absolutely no sign of trade disappearing.

"There is a very real and pressing issue of air quality which won't go away. Unless we take some radical measures it will worsen and affect everybody's health."

A spokesman for the council said: "Parking charges on the seafront have been set as one all year-round tariff.

"Parking fees and tariffs are reviewed each year. This year we have based our decisions on wider information than previously and used traffic modelling to measure the likely effects. The Madeira Drive charges are part of a package of changes.

"The overall view is we should achieve a simpler approach to parking management and to ensure that charging levels are consistent with our transport objectives and targets.

"We want to encourage people to use public transport, cycle or walk and to reduce dependency on the car."