SHOPKEEPERS in a town hoping to cash in on the London Olympics have received a setback after plans to bring in thousands of tourists fell through.

Epping Forest District Council had been negotiating with The Caravan Club to let up to 34,000 visitors for the 2012 games stay at North Weald Airfield but the plan has now been abandoned.

Neil Bonner, who owns Humbug Confectionery, in Station Road, Epping, said: “It's appalling by the council. Not only do they make parking round here hard they can't even organise the logistics for this. I can't believe it.

“If people are staying in a neighbouring town they're obviously going to use local facilities.

“A lot of local businesses are struggling and the council should be for them. It's such a shame. It's a once in a lifetime Olympic Games and we can't even cater for it. Everything's a logistical problem or an expense problem, there's always a problem, and everyone suffers on the back of it.”

Owner of Victoria Jewellers, in Epping High Street, Bill Murphy said: “I would have thought it would have been an excellent idea. When you think you've got something as special as the Olympic Games coming to nearly ten miles of where you are and there's no facilities for them, it's a shame.

“It's a nice place to be here and it's not too far. If local businesses knew they were coming we could have made provisions to attract people here.”

The Caravan Club had said it could accommodate thousands of tents and caravans at North Weald Airfield with shuttle buses linking visitors to Epping tube station.

The organisation had estimated the deal could have boosted the local economy by £1million but the district council said they would have been unable to provide enough space at the site without compromising flights from taking off.

Duke of Wellington manager Steve Close said: “Obviously the more people who come here the better although it might have affected the tube. You never know things might change. We've still got two years to go and something might happen.”

The council is now considering an alternative bid by the Olympic Development Agency (ODA) to use the airfield as a mass car park for people visiting the white water events in Broxbourne during the games.

The council will discuss the car park plan next Monday (May 17).