Ammanford butcher claims parking charges could force him to close
AN Ammanford butcher is calling on Carmarthenshire Council to cut or reduce parking charges, weeks after they were raised.
Charges in the Amman Valley town have risen from 50p an hour to 60p since New Year's Day, with a rise to 90p for four hours and £1.40 for the whole day.
-
Ammanford butcher Martin Jones
Martin Jones, who has a store in the newly refurbished Quay Street, said customers who used to come in "two or three times a week", were now forced to shop every other week instead.
"The traders knew nothing about it," he said.
Free tea or coffee with every 3 course lunch purchased within
our Award-winning Dragon Brasserie, located at street level in the heart of Swansea.
An ideal place to watch the world go by!
Terms: Subject to availability, booking is recommended and this offer can be withdrawn at anytime
Contact: 01792 343930
Valid until: Wednesday, July 31 2013
"Customers, shopkeepers, nobody knew the charges were going up."
But Carmarthenshire Council denied this claim, saying the increase took place every January, after a report in 2009.
In 2010, the executive board agreed plans to spread the increase in charges over four years to ease the effect.
But Mr Jones suggested lower fees over a six or 12-month trial. "I think if they charged 50p for half a day and a pound for the whole day, the car park would be full," he said.
"Give something to the people of the town.
Empty
"The start of the week, car parks are empty here, so they're not taking anything on empty spaces."
Mr Jones, who employs eight people himself, has had to ask two of his staff to take holiday, because he "doesn't have the work".
"They don't want to take holiday now, they want to take it when it's convenient for them," he said.
"Those two staff who are on holiday are usually here all the time. I don't know if I'm going to have to close, maybe I will, unless it gets better.
"I expect services from the council which provides me with that footfall I need to stop that happening."
A spokesman for Carmarthenshire Council said: "It is important to adopt a structured approach to the levy of charges at the various town centres, to ensure that the competitive position of each town is maintained against surrounding towns, neighbouring authorities and out of town developments.
"Currently, demand for car parking in town centres is high and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future."
He described the charging structure as "extremely competitive" and said "continued investment" was required to ensure standards were maintained.
Comments
by cresswell1
Monday, January 14 2013, 5:04PM
“good this bloke is a joke, cut you prices and be more helpful when customers come in, i went in for a joint of rolled brisket, and was told sorry they could not do that, i went up to Cross Hands butchers, and asked for the same joint, and they rolled me a joint of brisket, while i waited, so now i by all my meat from them. so it is not the parking charges, as i still shop in Ammanford, but not this butchers. and by the way i do not think the charges are high for parking.”
by Julesbreadbox
Monday, January 14 2013, 1:54PM
“Quite honestly I don't find these parking charges exorbitantly high.
I feel the whole matter of parking charges is more about general milking of businesses without good services in return.
Rents,business rates, costs etc. are so high that shops do need every potential customer they can get hold of.
No doubt about that.
On the other hand all the taxes and charges being paid by businesses don't go towards maintenance or investment in a city -in this case Ammanford, but you can name any other city in the UK- but utter self-preservation and self-feeding of the councils.
Fixing the odd pot whole and boasting about it in local newspapers are just about the most riveting projects councils will do.
Sorry, not enough from the point of view of (struggling) businesses.”
by hacker_jack
Monday, January 14 2013, 1:51PM
“So why doesn't he do something positive about it?
How about he and some of the other shop owners get together and offer to refund 10p each to people parking there? Just have the customer retain their ticket and the next time they come in stamp it and give them 10p off a purchase. If 5 stores all do it then not only does the parking reduce back to what it was for 4 hours but you also have an incentive for repeat visits.”