Traders say plans to revitalise Abingdon are "painfully slow" and it is in danger of losing out.

Abingdon Chamber of Commerce has pointed the finger at recent political squabbling between the main political parties over the current state of the town.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Francis Maude, on a visit to Abingdon with prospective Tory candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon Ed Matts, said the town was "derelict" with empty shops.

Mr Matts said the appointment of a town manager was essential to help revitalise the town.

But that upset Liberal Democrats and local Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris, who called on Mr Maude to apologise for what he called "offensive remarks".

The Chamber of Commerce has said that the concerns being raised are not new. It has for many years been pressing for measures to revitalise the town. Two years ago the chamber produced a document called Action for Abingdon.

Among a series of improvements the document proposed were free short term parking for shoppers, a central cinema and leisure facilities, better pedestrian access, the removal of bus congestion in the High Street, re-development of the Bury Street shopping precinct, the appointment of a Town Manager, more events in the Market Place and restoration of "on Thames" to the name of Abingdon.

Chamber of Commerce President Jill Rayner, vice-president Kevin Clare and Peter Tothill, of Abingdon Transport 2000, said in a letter: "Some of these issues are being considered but progress is painfully slow.

"The Chamber feels that if action is not taken immediately Abingdon will lose out to other towns."