The group, led by local retailers and businessmen, made the move after airing their concerns to senior council officials and Councillor Alice Soper – a meeting they described as "disappointing" and "just paying lip service".

They are now looking at a leaflet campaign and may look at legal action in a bid to halt the closure of the car park to make way for the new swimming pool and leisure centre.

Spokesman Chic Stenhouse said: ''We gave them an agenda which they accepted well in advance, and then on the morning of the meeting they came back and said they would not be answering the key question – the reason why they were going ahead with the swimming pool on Tolbooth Street.

''That really set the tone for the whole meeting and they could not even provide us with basic facts and figures relating to the public consultation they say they have carried out.

"They said there was already enough information in the public domain about the plan, even though we had wanted them to explain why, in the face of the huge public outcry, they were still intent on bludgeoning ahead with the plans.

"We put forward our case and gave details on our public consultation which has so far resulted in over 7000 signatures being collected.''

The Council is set to launch a three-week period of notice to close the car park, beginning on February 24 – but the campaigners have vowed to fight on.

Added Mr Stenhouse: "We told them we could be mounting a legal challenge against this as all the shops in the High Street which back on to this car park have a right of way to load and unload from the car park, which they didn't seem to have considered.

"It was a disappointing meeting which we believe was just paying lip service to our request for discussion, but we won't be giving up our fight. We all care passionately about Kirkcaldy and want the High Street to survive.''

The campaigners now hope to meet with Council leader, Peter Grant , as well as High Street retailers to ask for their continued support.

They also plan to lobby Mrs Livingstone and Mr Brown.