WINCHESTER business leaders are tight-lipped over the continuing absence from his desk of city centre manager, Graham Love.

Mr Love, pictured, the man responsible for promoting Winchester's retail district and successfully driving through the city's Business Improvement District (BID) status, has not been seen or heard of since early February.

Despite repeated attempts to contact him, and questions being put to his employers, nobody has been prepared to shed any light on the mystery so far.

Mr Love was recruited in 2002 by the Winchester City Centre Partnership, which is funded by private and public money, including £25,000 from the city council.

The authority also offers grants for special projects, such as the Winchester Business Centre in Parchment Street, which opened six months ago.

The council and partnership found themselves at loggerheads earlier this year over city centre parking.

The authority wanted to reinstate pay and display in several car parks but the partnership and North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce objected. They argued that pay and display would hurt traders, as shoppers would cut short their visit to avoid paying fines.

Mr Love spoke to the media about it on February 8. A week later, the council put its plans on ice.

Mr Love had been expected to lobby Cabinet members on the day, but did not appear.

Later that month, the partnership and the chamber of commerce were reporting that Mr Love was on leave, which has now been the case for six weeks.

The partnership has declined to say when he might return. However, his office maintains that he is still the person to contact in regards to the launch of the high profile Business Improvement District scheme, which comes into effect on Sunday, March 30.

The BID will involve all central Winchester firms paying a ring-fenced levy on their business rates, which will be used to fund a raft of improvements to the retail district.

The proposal was backed by a narrow majority of traders at a ballot last summer, with 54 per cent in favour.

City Centre Partnership chairman, Jeremy France, of Jeremy France Jewellers, was not available to comment. In his absence, one of its board members, Mark Broad, said they could not comment until his return.

The city council, which is one of the partnership's largest backers, was also unable to comment. Its leader, Councillor George Beckett, said it would be "inappropriate" to comment, as the council was only a board member and not in charge of the partnership.