Carlton and Mapperley traders protest at parking fees
TRADERS fear their livelihoods will be lost when charging is introduced for car parks across Gedling borough.
Councillors have voted to bring in the charges from August to help balance the books.
But traders in Carlton Square fear charges will drive customers away to supermarkets, while those on Mapperley Top held a protest on Saturday and have already collected hundreds of petition signatures.
Denise Bailey, runs Baileys Food Market on Mapperley Top, a store which was opened by her step-father 76 years ago.
She said: "Mapperley is a community where people come up and have a chat and you know everybody.
"A lot of people come two or three times a week, and they won't be able to pay 60 pence every time they come up to do a bit of shopping."
Saturday's protest was organised by Julie Sands, of True Colours Art Gallery. "It will have a devastating effect on our community," she said. "People from the surrounding villages are going to bypass us and go to Sherwood where it's free, or go to the supermarket where it's free."
Residents around Mapperley Top also fear drivers will be pushed into already-congested residential streets.
Charges will start at 60p for up to an hour, rising to £1 for up to two, £2 for up to three, £5 for up to four and £10 for over four hours.
Traders in Carlton Square fear passing trade will be lost.
Kamal Patel, 41, who has run a newsagents with his wife for 15 years, said: "If they are just popping to get a paper they are not going to pay 60p."
And Marie Timson, 39, from Carlton Laundrette, said she was worried her customers would head to Netherfield instead.
Alix Needham, 20, who has run the It's Just Delicious bakery and cafe for a year, said she would start a petition for customers opposed to the charges.
Hairdresser Christina Cave, who has run Elhairgance in Carlton Square for seven years, feared her customers would go elsewhere.
Before the vote, Labour councillors said they wanted to defer the charges for a year due to the recession, and the Lib Dems suggested starting at a rate of 20p.
But Roland Spencer, leader of the Conservative council, said he believed charges would help shops, as they could cut the amount of time cars were parked, freeing more spaces and increasing custom.
In a statement he said: "There is a statutory consultation process underway and the council will be considering all objections received."
24 Comments
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by jean, Mapperley
Tuesday, May 12 2009, 9:28AM
“Does Councillor Spencer have any connection with the Spring Lane Farm Shop? I hope not because the imposition of car parking charges could be seen as an attempt to deter shoppers from Mapperley, get them into their cars and shop at ... Spring Lane Farm Shop”
by lord, nottingham
Monday, March 16 2009, 2:30PM
“where is this petition please.
i would like to read and sign it and offer my support to the independent traders in mapperly, carlton and gedling..
there is an undercurrent of Nottingham expanding to incorporate rushcliffe, gedling and broxtowe boroughs i feel, as was touched on by previous comment”
by Col, Maperley
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 3:50PM
“Get rid of Roland Spencer vote him and his greedy mates out.”
by Jean, Mapperley
Tuesday, March 10 2009, 10:24AM
“Yet another hare brained scheme from Gedling. It is criminal. To impose car-parking charges will deter shoppers, shops will close and Mapperley will be sucked into the less desirable urban sprawl of Nottingham. That will wake up the councillors and their budgets. Shopkeepers will lose their livelihoods ¿ like I said ¿ criminal.
I was one of the people who completed the questionnaire and yes it was worded in such a way that I foresaw people, pencils at the ready, ticking the ¿yes to car parking charges¿ box. (I do have a marketing background and I have previously devised questionnaires. Basically you can construct them in such a way that you can obtain almost any result that you wish.)
How can Gedling save money? Recently my husband and I visited the Arnot Hill offices to collect his first bus pass. We were welcomed by two people seated behind a desk. My husband¿s photograph was taken but the pass could not be issued because ¿the person who does that is at lunch.¿ That makes three people who would normally be seated behind the desk. What happened to multi-tasking? The bus pass then had to put into an envelope and postage added. How to save money? Check staffing levels.
I would encourage you to utilise the features of the Freedom of Information Act. That will certainly keep councillors on their toes and encourage them to think twice before reaching decisions.”
by R Hamilton, Mapperley Nottingham
Monday, March 09 2009, 7:07PM
“The charges will deter shoppers and shops will close. A Perm will now cost £5 more and a simple haircut £1 more. Thank you to the Tories for making the Socialist disaster even worse. Are you handing Britain to the BNP?”