Bath's city centre manager says shopkeepers are running the risk of killing off high street trade if they refuse to open later in the evening.

Andrew Cooper, who has been in the job for almost 18 months, said retailers in Bath have to work together and communicate effectively if the city is to compete as a shopping destination.

Mr Cooper's comments come just a fortnight before the opening of the first phase of Bath's £360 million SouthGate shopping centre on Wednesday, November 4.

High street chemist Boots and Swedish fashion giant H&M will be among the biggest names to open for business when SouthGate is launched.

Mr Cooper said some stores in the development were planning to open from 8am until 8pm.

He said: "While no one can force stores to open till late city-wide, we do need a greater amount of co-ordination and communication if we are going to compete as a retail destination."

Mr Cooper has been a driving force behind the Bath City Centre Management Partnership, which includes representatives from businesses throughout the city and works to promote trade and pride in the public realm.

He said the partnership was aiming to work closely with SouthGate bosses to communicate their trading hours and propagate this so the whole city could benefit.

He said: "Take Birmingham for example. Before the Bull Ring shopping centre the city was dead after 5pm and the thought of going out to Birmingham after this time was just not on the agenda.

"Now you can shop and eat in Birmingham till 8pm and sometimes beyond this time in what is now a safe and dynamic environment. SouthGate will provide Bath with the same opportunity."

Mr Cooper said Bath was shifting from a traditional trading-day city to one more in keeping with a vibrant and buzzing 21st-century high street.

He said: "While acknowledging the difficulty for the small retailers to manage resources and staff time to trade longer hours, these smaller shops can potentially benefit from the increased co-ordination of trading hours."

SouthGate shops will run with core trading hours of 9am to 6pm with shops opening until 8pm on a Thursday.

Mr Cooper has visited every shop in Milsom Street to discuss later opening hours for the visit to the city by Holly- wood star Nicolas Cage, who will be turning on this year's Christmas lights on Thursday, November 26.

In 2008 department store Jollys opened until 10pm on the first late night of shopping on a Thursday in November but many shops on the same street ceased trading at 7pm.

He said: "All the stores in Milsom Street have expressed their support in staying open late and doing something special on the night of the switch-on of the Christmas lights and the remaining late-night Thursdays before Christmas. Making it easy for consumers to shop in Bath means we need to articulate a clear and simple message about trading hours.

"Bath is open for business," he declared.

Bath and North East Somerset Council's park-and-ride services are also increasing in the run-up to and after Christmas sales periods. A full park-and-ride service will operate on Monday, December 28.