INDEPENDENT shops and businesses have seen their takings slashed after a major new shopping centre opened.

Cafes on Broadway in Didcot have complained of seeing profits dive by more than half since the Orchard Centre opened in March.

Both Costa Coffee and Starbucks have set up new outlets in the centre with a cafe also included as part of the Marks & Spencer food hall.

Ricardo Camara, the owner of Camara’s Cafe and Bakery, said the new competition was ‘killing’ the business he has run for 11 years.

He added: “We have lost 60 per cent of our takings in two months, it’s the worst situation I have seen in all the years of running the place.

“Some days we are only taking £70-£80 for the whole day, we can’t go on like this.”

Small business owner James Hart, who is also a town councillor, said he felt more needed to be done to protect independent shops in light of the difficulties.

He said: “A lot of businesses are really feeling the pinch now with takings down dramatically.

“Whether many of these places will be able to keep going is really in the balance.

“People need to ask what sort of town we want Didcot to be in the future.

“Our local shops need our support now more than ever if they are going to survive.”

The £50million Orchard Centre revamp expanded the shopping centre to include 28 new shops, cafes and restaurants.

Despite less than a third of the units let on opening day, members of the public flocked to the opening and the new shops have proven popular.

Mr Hart said he wanted Hammerson, which operated the shopping centre, to look at whether empty units could be divided up so that independents could go in together and reduce the costs of renting a space.

He also called for landlords to temporarily reduce rents in other parts of the town centre while shops adjust to the new competition.

Several more restaurants including chicken chain Nandos are set to open in the coming months, increasing fears that existing businesses will struggle.

But Colin Gilbey, co-founder of Broadway Butchers, said his shop had so far not seen an impact because of its loyal base of customers.

Steve Connel, leader of Didcot Town Council, said he felt the town needed a mix of independents and chain shops and would be meeting with interested parties to see what more could be done to support small business.

He added: “We can’t force people to shop in a particular place but we can make people aware that we have some wonderful businesses out there.”

A spokesperson from Hammerson said: "The extension has been specifically designed to integrate with and complement existing shops and to provide a network of public spaces with Orchard Street linking to the Broadway to form Didcot’s retail circuit.

"We expect the extension to attract more visitors and shoppers to the town, making Didcot a destination for retail, dining and leisure.”