"PUT a million pounds in the pot and scrap town centre car park fees."

That's the suggestion put forward by a Bournemouth trader as the council considers how to entice more shoppers to the town centre.

In a bid to halt the loss of customers to Castlepoint and neighbouring towns, the possibility of asking retailers to invest their own cash in the town centre is being considered.

The scheme - known as a Business Improvement District or BID - is already working in other areas around the country and has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment.

And Nigel Hedges, vice-chair of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade, believes there is only one thing any additional money should be spent on - reducing car park fees.

The retailer, who owns Bourne Engraving in Yelverton Road, said: "If we raise a million, give it to the council and let's have every council-run car park free for a year. Let's see what difference that makes.

"In absolutely simplistic, practical terms, that is what would really help. People do not want catchphrases, slogans or new logos.

They want to know that we appreciate them shopping in the town centre and giving them free parking is one way of doing that."

Another Chamber of Trade member, Peter Goodson, agreed: "Until the town centre parking is of a reasonable amount, or ideally on some occasions free, people will continue to go to Castlepoint rather than shop in the town centre."

In a report going before cabinet members on Wednesday, town centre manager Roger Parker said Bournemouth's commercial position was "threatened."

The town's retail position has declined from 57th in 2002 to 89th in 2006 and only 39 per cent of the catchment population choose to shop there.

Cabinet members are being recommended to spend £15,000 on investigating the feasibility of a BID. Other towns and cities to have gone down that route include Taunton, where retailers are contributing £245,000 a year towards additional policing, street cleaning and advertising, and Birmingham, where 800 retailers are financing a spend of £850,000 a year.

Mr Hedges said the idea was definitely worth consideration but said traders would need some convincing before agreeing to contribute extra money on top of business rates.

"They will squeal horrendously," he said. "To ask for money upfront on the promise of more customers will, I think, meet with some degree of resistance.

"But I think Roger Parker is doing a fantastic job and has brought about some concrete improvements.

"If the contribution was in proportion to my premises and the business that I run, I would agree to pay extra."