FED-UP Kilmacolm traders and residents claim TV film crews are caused chaos in the village after blocking streets for the SIXTH time.

They say crews shooting scenes for the BBC Scotland drama series Shetland have taken away parking spaces from their customers in Lochwinnoch Road and are also monopolising spaces in the community centre car park.

Glasgow Times:

Butcher Douglas Graham, who owns Blackwood's, says his takings for the day halved because shoppers did not have anywhere to park.

He told our sister title The Greenock Telegraph: "I think it's ridiculous.

"The parking has disappeared.

"How can you shut the whole village down to parking?

"I wonder is the council getting a bit of action from the TV company?

"I will lose 50 per cent of my normal Thursday sales because of this.

"The parking situation here is bad enough and the filming is never on a Monday - it's always towards the end of the week.

"This has been at least the sixth time."

Glasgow Times:

Councillor David Wilson has told the businessman that there is no financial benefit to the local authority and that it was a PR exercise.

Cllr Wilson said: "I am getting complaints from constituents and from traders and one trader told me that they were 60 per cent down on in one day.

"I personally like the Shetland series - it's just become too much of an inconvenience to businesses.

"We don't mind accommodating Shetland, but six times is too many.

"It should be completed by now."

Villager Billy Blair, 71, said: "Every time they come, they take up more and more parking spaces.

"Their also using a lot of spaces in the car park.

"They've been here six times, which is a lot for a small village, and it's caused a lot of ill feeling with people living in the centre of the village."

Councillor Wilson has also questioned the use of police resources in the operation.

He said: "We have two officers here, when we have anti-social behaviour in the village and in Port Glasgow.

"I don't think it's a good use of police resources."

Council bosses have defended the permission given to the film crews.

A spokesperson said: “Inverclyde has built up a good reputation as being a welcoming place for film and TV companies which is why so many return.

“This is aligned to our ongoing work to promote the area as a good place to live, work, visit and to do business.

“Ultimately anyone has the right to apply for a temporary traffic regulation order but any restrictions should always take into account the local environment and, in our experience, companies are conscious of that and keen to cause as little disruption as they can and inform and accommodate anyone who may be affected by filming.

“Film and TV presents an opportunity to showcase our wonderful towns and villages and is an area we are keen to continue to support.”