Angry shopkeepers have accused a council CCTV car of ruining Christmas trade – because shoppers are deserting the high street in droves when it is on patrol.

The Haringey Council car has been parked prominently in Highgate High Street on Saturday for the last two weeks and traders believe it is deterring shoppers from lawfully parking.

Robert Sinfield, 61, owner of Le Chocolatier, said: “Normally on Saturday the high street is filled with parked cars but because the car is there no one is parking. We were doing great trade and then suddenly we were empty, no one was here. It’s stopping people legitimately parking.”

The car is enforcing a no right turn restriction into Pond Square from the high street.

But shopkeepers say changing confusing signs could solve this problem without having such a catastrophic impact on trade.

Phyllis Harper, owner of Highgate Butchers for 38 years, said: “It’s very infuriating. Business is hard enough, we’re all struggling and this time of year is the time that we try to make up for the rest of the year.”

The council defended its use and said: “We are identifying high levels of contraventions at this location, including 61 breaches in the last week and three penalties where motorists stopped on zigzag lines next to the pedestrian crossing.”