A small part of the history of a family company which started out nearly 90 years ago in Kingston will be erased if the council changes the name of the Drapers' car park.

The Liberal Democrat-run executive councillors are expected to re-name it The Rose Car Park at a meeting on Tuesday.

The rebranding exercise will cost £5,000 to replace signs and tickets with the new name.

Tory leader Howard Jones described the decision as "out of order" while his fellow councillor Mary Clark said she would attend the meeting and speak her piece.

"It is absolutely unnecessary. It is another bit of money down the drain," she said.

Draper Tools started out in 1919 when the founder, Bert Draper, sold government surplus and tools from a hand barrow around the Kingston markets.

He bought a warehouse starting B. Draper & Son Limited on the site which is now the car park.

When he died in 1963, his son Norman moved the business, which is now one of the largest British tool suppliers, away from Kingston to Hampshire.

Bert's grandson John is now chairman of the company and sister Margaret is also involved.

Clive Richardson of Drapers' Tools said: "From a point of view of nostalgia and history it is a bit of a shame.

"But at the end of the day we were a company in the area. I suppose it is called progress."

John McCarthy, outgoing chairman of the Friends of Kingston Museum and Heritage said: I would be very disappointed to see yet another link with Kingston's industrial heritage lost.

Kingston historian June Sampson said: "I was appalled. I think it is outrageous because as buildings get swept away names are very important as markers for locations.

"The borough is always on about heritage and yet particularly the Lib Dems care nothing for heritage."

But not everybody agrees. Jennifer Butterworth, chairman of the Kingston Society, said: "It is a very good idea. Drapers' car park means nothing whereas the Rose car park, there's a chance that people know where it is.

"We have to make new heritages as well."

What do you think?