WINCHESTER'S burgeoning restaurant trade is "reaching saturation point" and threatening the hospitality sector, the leader of the city's business lobby has said.

Independent caterers and hotels fear that an influx of national chains is eating into their trade and leaving them unable to compete with promotional discounts.

Catherine Turness, executive director of Winchester Business Improvement District (BID), fears some companies could fold.

She said: "The hospitality sector has done relatively well out of Christmas, which is great, but I am worried that we will see a couple of them close because I think we are reaching saturation point for restaurants."

The BID, which represents nearly 800 businesses, is lobbying the city council to protect shop numbers in central streets such as The Square, Jewry Street, Upper High Street and Parchment Street. A similar scheme is already in place in the High Street.

Restaurants to open in the city centre in 2015 included Cote Brassierie, Palm Pan Asia, Wagamama, The Stable and Shanghai Papa. Another is earmarked to replace Toni and Guy in Jewry Street this year.

"We're really supportive and trying to protect our independents, because that's what we worry about," Ms Turness said.

"It comes to managing that success. Eighteen months ago we didn't have that problem, then all of a sudden Rick Stein's here, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's here and off the back of that we've got great PR campaigns."

Meanwhile, traders have won the ear of senior council officers in their fight to cut the number of stalls in the High Street.

Ms Turness said Cllr Stephen Godfrey, leader of Winchester City Council, is involved in discussions about limiting market days or moving them off the main route through town.

As reported by the Chronicle over the last month, retailers have grown frustrated by the increase in markets and tourist footfall, claiming locals are being pushed out by crowds and a lack of parking.

Ms Turness said: "Position it correctly and it can be an asset, but position it incorrectly and it's a liability. And the High Street, at Christmas especially, needs breathing space."

She added: "Christmas has grown, but with that the infrastructure hasn't grown. We can't cope with the amount of people in the city."

The BID has this week urged the council to avoid cutting the number of parking spaces for shoppers, raising particular fears over Upper Brook Street car park, which is set to be built on for a new doctors' surgery.

In a statement published on Tuesday, a spokesman said: "The current infrastructure cannot cope with the number of visitors at Christmas and thus this has resulted in clients cancelling visits to retailers and service businesses because they were unable to access the city with ease, if at all. It has also resulted in the withdrawal of a commercial sale in Parchment Street."

Ms Turness said similar plans were discussed in 2014 with then-leader Rob Humby, but progress was set back when he resigned over the Silver Hill scheme.