Calls for a rethink over market regeneration

North East Lincolnshire Council wants to remove most parking spaces to make the area more pedestrian friendly

Businesses in Cleethorpes are calling on the council to rethink plans for a £4.5m regeneration of its Market Place.

North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) wants to make the area more pedestrian friendly by removing most parking spaces and other changes.

Issues highlighted by traders included lack of parking and concerns over access for delivery vehicles.

NELC said it is having "ongoing discussions" with businesses and is "committed" to continuing this during the construction process.

NELC said it wants to "activate the space" for more events

Draft designs include some drop-off and lay-by spaces as well as al fresco dining in place of some of the parking spaces.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, alternative car parking would be in place behind the Old Vic in Alexandra Road with about 40 spaces.

Cleethorpes High Street Car Park is also due to become short-stay only.

'Where are you going to park?'

Ian Stead, who runs Steels Corner House Restaurant in Market Street, said the Market Place car park was "really important to all the shops".

"We want markets and events, that’s fantastic. But February, when there’s nothing on, where are you going to park?" he said.

Deborah Churchill, of Debonair Health and Beauty in Market Street, said: "For me it’s the safety effect by closing the road and vehicles going through the side streets, already heavily populated with cars."

Gary Hurst, of Forw4rd clothing shop, said: "We are the people that make the Market Place. There’s no Market Place without the shops.

"What they’re going to be left with is just the pubs."

Julie Hurst, of Betty McKenzie children’s clothing shop, said: "We’re asking the designers to design a functional space for the maximum use of the Market Place.

"We aren’t against the improvements, we just know it can be better."

Council leader Philip Jackson said the authority was having "ongoing discussions" with businesses.

He said: "We know that there are concerns, but we’ve also seen in other areas across the country what these sort of projects do to help local economies, and what the possibilities are.

"We are looking already at plans to activate the space created with markets or events, and pedestrianising the central portion of the Market Place is key to this.

"Along with allowing businesses, particularly food and beverage businesses, to spill out into this space with outside dining in the nicer weather, we can see how this space actually becomes somewhere people want to go and spend time in rather than just pass through."