Business bosses are concerned about plans to slash the opening hours at one of the city centre's biggest car parks.

National Car Parks (NCP) has announced plans to close the multi-storey in Hall Ings between 11pm and 6.30am from the end of this month.

The car park, opposite City Hall, opens 24 hours a day and is popular with people using city centre restaurants, theatres and the adjoining Hilton Hotel during the evening.

But plans to close the car park at 11pm have led to fears that people will have to find alternative parking further from the city centre, leaving them to face longer and more dangerous late-night walks to their vehicles.

A spokesman for NCP said: "We have looked at the pattern of usage and the car park is hardly used at all at night.

"We are writing to all businesses who might want to use it after 11pm and if they can let us know when they have a special event, we will keep it open.

"Even if there isn't one car in the car park, we still have to keep the lights on for security reasons.

"We are trying to save on electricity because keeping an empty car park open with lights on is not very environmentally friendly. We are trying to reduce our carbon footprint.

"Nothing is set in stone yet and we are surveying our customers."

Nick Taylor, manager of the Hilton Hotel in Hall Ings, said the change could affect customers who used the hotel for late-night functions, many of which did not finish until 2am.

Mr Taylor said: "The manager of the NCP has said he will work with us on that, but it remains to be seen how it works.

"It will have an impact on us, although the average guest gets in before 11pm and doesn't leave before 6.30am."

Debbie Leach, marketing and events officer for the Chino Thai restaurant, in nearby Centenary Square, said the plans would affect their staff and customers.

She said: "We use the NCP because it's very close to our restaurant and it has lights and CCTV cameras, so we feel quite safe going back to our cars when we finish at 12 or 1am.

"But if it's closed, we will have to walk further away.

"It will also affect customers who come in late. Our last orders are 10.30pm so there are people who will need the car park to be open later than 11pm."

e-mail: will.kilner@bradford.newsquest.co.uk