'Parking ban means I won't return to Market Place'

Chris Ford said the lack of parking in the Market Place would be detrimental to his stall

Businesses, stallholders and the town council have criticised new parking rules for the redeveloped Market Place in Sleaford.

North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) started work in July last year to create a pedestrian-friendly area, and it said parking would not be allowed on market days or weekends.

Traders in the town have told the BBC the changes have had a negative impact on their business, with some claiming they will not return to the area.

Sleaford Town Council has confirmed it will continue to run a market on nearby Eastgate until "further notice".

On Tuesday, the district council implemented Blue Badge holder-only parking for the Market Place for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 09:00 and 15:00 GMT.

The stay is for a maximum of two hours with no return within an hour.

The council said arrangements had been made with businesses to accommodate deliveries, with up to 30 minutes' loading time for permit holders.

Chris Ford ran his stall for 15 years in the Market Place before he was temporarily moved to Eastgate car park

Chris Ford, known as the Plant Man, has run a stall for 15 years but has refused to move back to the Market Place because the rules mean he cannot take his vehicle.

"We won't be moving back at all. We are a small market and it's the parking and convenience that is keeping the market alive," he said.

Meanwhile, Bellissimo Boutique, a clothing shop on the Market Place, said it had lost "80 to 90%" of its income during the work.

Owner Ken Hanslip added it had "really not made life any better".

Emergency services will still be able to access the Market Place

Sleaford Town Council has also been critical of the changes and confirmed it would continue to run the market from Eastgate for the foreseeable future, rather than return to the Market Place as originally planned.

A spokesperson said: "To operate a market, you need to have market traders, and the changes NKDC have made to the Market Place have undermined the viability of the site as a place to operate a market from."

In response, the district council said freeing the Market Place from parked cars "restores its integrity as a historic place for markets, events and communal activity".

It added: "The regular markets are now free to flourish once more in this central location... [and] to benefit from the improved visibility and safe and accessible trading that the space now provides."

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.