Banff is at risk of becoming a ghost town after Tesco pulled plans to build a new store, a leading local businessman has claimed.
Des Cheyne, owner of The Spotty Bag Shop in the coastal town, said there was “widespread anger” following the announcement from the firm.
He said residents had been waiting for 15 years for a supermarket.
Mr Cheyne said: “How much longer does Banff and Macduff have to endure such uncertainty?
“The site of the planned supermarket has been allowed to be an eyesore and it will probably remain an eyesore. What kind of a message does that send to tourists who arrive in Banff?
“There is widespread anger in the town and I genuinely fear for its future as any kind of commercial centre.”
Mr Cheyne has also criticised the local authority for what he believes is procrastination over the land’s development.
“They have been complicit in ripping the heart out of the town and I would be very surprised if any other supermarket is waiting in the wings to take Tesco’s place.
“Local people will continue to go further afield to do their big weekly shop and it is a massive drain away from the area.
“It is absolutely disgraceful,” he added.
A spokesman for the local authority said it had “shown its commitment” to the town through its regeneration plans.
He said: “We understand the announcement from Tesco will have come as a massive disappointment to the people of Banff and Macduff. We have worked at length with Tesco to try to bring them to the town, while taking local traders into consideration.
“It will be hard to mitigate the very strong market forces acting against our town centres, but we know the desire to achieve this is there. By everyone working together we can revitalise the town centres.”
The chief executive of Aberdeenshire Council, Colin Mackenzie, has meanwhile said that the authority would work with Tesco to find the best solution for the future of the communities.