Businesses fear they will lose their voice after it was revealed a group representing them will be closed down.

Independent shop owners say they are "gobsmacked" after Enfield council decided to terminate the funding of Enfield Business Retailers Association (EBRA) at the end of this financial year.

The council funded group has been running for 15 years but will be replaced as the local authority plans to "revolutionise" the way it communicates with town centre teams.

Chris Theodoulou, who has run hairdresser Emma Claire, in Enfield Town for more than 30 years, told the Enfield Independent he was “gobsmacked” by the decision, in which town centre managers such as Mark Rudling will lose their job.

He said: “My initial reaction is bewilderment, I don’t understand where they are coming from. They are talking about revolutionising the way they keep in touch but they are losing Mark Rudling, the person who is keeping businesses united in Enfield.

“I am disgusted and gobsmacked beyond words that Mr Rudling has been treated like this. The council does not have a clue how to communicate with businesses without EBRA.”

Mr Theodoulou also questioned who would represent that businesses’ views on Cycle Enfield.

Vic Smith, of Vic Smith Beds based in Enfield and Southgate, was equally disappointed.

He said: “It is going to be a huge loss because the amount of work and contacts EBRA has is unrivalled.

“We could easily lose businesses. I have found it a nightmare contacting the council directly and if that continues once EBRA has gone, then small businesses will struggle to survive. It’s a sad moment.”

Olly Prigmore, chairman of EBRA said: “After 15 years of hard work as a volunteer for EBRA in the capacity of director and chairman, I am saddened that our contract will not be renewed at the end of this financial year.

“Redundancies have had to be made due to reduced funding for this current year but we will continue to serve some areas of the borough, albeit with reduced coverage, for the remainder of the year as funds permit.”

Kris Panthaki, of Carrington Appliances, in Edmonton, who was part of the Edmonton EBRA strand, said: “I was really, really saddened by the council about EBRA, because we went out of our way to help and we tried to do everything and negotiate between the traders and council for all the years and it has been undone.

“It leaves us in a delicate position and no doubt businesses will be fuming at this decision.”

Enfield town centre manager Mark Ruddling told the Enfield Independent he was “very disappointed” by the decision but said he has enjoyed his time with EBRA.

He added: “I am obviously very disappointed that EBRA will not be working with local high street businesses after the end of this financial year.

“As town centre manager for Enfield I have enjoyed helping and representing these local people and over the years have forged many great working relationships, not only with the businesses themselves, but also with police, Enfield council officers as well as the local community. I will be sad to see this lost.

“It will be interesting to see how Enfield council’s revolutionised way of communicating directly with businesses will work.”

The council says it will be creating “town centre teams” that will consist of retailers and community groups to work “closely with Enfield council.”

Cabinet member for economic development Councillor Alan Sitkin said: “We are revolutionising the way our town centres are managed so that they can meet the challenges of the 21st century. This is a key part of our overall review and improvement to economic development in Enfield, which will also clearly set out the way we expect the borough to develop over the next four years.

“The retailers and community organisations in our town centres are intimately aware of the issues facing each of our town centres and it makes perfect sense for us to work closely with them to revolutionise our town centres and make them even more vibrant, bustling and successful than they are already.

"Our retailers play a huge role in bring jobs and prosperity to Enfield and they are the ideal people to help us build outstanding shopping areas to serve our residents.

”Initial feedback from businesses is that they are keen to have dialogue with a council which achieves things and accomplishes tasks.”