Traders are angry a food kiosk has been allowed to open in a town centre where there are already 12 food outlets within a short distance.

The Courtyard food bar opened this week in Horsham to serve at picnic tables in the Carfax which are owned by the council and available for public use.

The Courtyard is within a few feet of the American Sandwich Bar, Panino Sandwich Bar, the Global Coffee Company and Forfars Bakers.

Traders say the kiosk is spoiling what was an attractive pedestrianised area.

Giovanni Barozzi, who runs Panino, said he started the idea of eating outside in the Carfax in 1993 when his sandwich bar paid a nominal sum to the council to serve at the public tables.

He said: "After three years the council said the rent would go up from about £2,000 a year to £10,000, which I couldn't afford.

"I think the new kiosk is out of place - we need something attractive to complement the Carfax."

Ros Wilkinson, who runs the nearby Candy Box, a newsagents which also sells sandwiches, sweets, chocolates, snacks and ice creams, has written to the council asking why there was a need to place " a large ugly hut" in the centre of the Carfax.

She wrote: "Has no one in the planning office noticed there are 12 outlets in and around the Carfax to satisfy Horsham's needs?"

Gilbert Petrosian, who runs the newly-opened American Sandwich Bar, said competition was healthy but he added: "It is a shame because the Carfax is a pretty area and that cabin sitting there doesn't look so good."

Forfars Bakers manager Sandra Knight said traders were already fighting for customers in an area where there was already enough competition.

She said: "They are selling exactly the same things that we are and it is bound to have an effect on trade."

The Courtyard is being run by Uli Prutz, who said: "The council wanted someone to serve food and drinks and service the tables and no one else wanted to do it.

"If the existing food outlets are good, the people will continue to use them. It gives choice to the customer."

Horsham District Council chief solicitor Ian Davison said they had advertised for someone to take over from Panino but for the last two years there had been no interest.

When they were approached by Mr Prutz with a business deal, notices were put up in the Carfax giving details of the proposal. The council had received no comments.

He disagreed the food kiosk was ugly.