Traders fear impact of parking charge increases

Robert Bird said increasing car park charges could affect the whole of Ludlow

Market traders in Ludlow say they are worried about the impact of parking charge increases.

Shropshire Council increased fees at a number of car parks this week and said the funds raised would be spent on the upkeep of existing car parks as well as supporting improvements to roads and public transport.

It is the first time the authority has increased charges since 2022, but Jackie Faole, who owns the Granny Bobby Art stall in Ludlow, said: "It's ridiculous, they're not helping us at all."

Tony Caton, market manager employed by Ludlow Town Council, said people "might think twice or have a visit to Ludlow once a month, rather than every week".

The authority is having to find large sums of money to balance its books and avoid having to effectively declare itself bankrupt.

Mr Caton said he understood councils were "very much strapped for cash" but added: "Increasing parking charges is an easy option, without necessarily being a wise one."

He said: "Any increase in costs for anyone means less money going into the economy, less footfall, less people visiting."

Some car parks in Ludlow have avoided the price increases, but Mr Caton said they were further from the town centre and would not appeal to older people and those with families.

It is the first time the cash-strapped authority has increased parking charges since 2022

Ms Faole said: "Because of the economy, trade is down anyway - it's going to stop people from coming out even more if they've got to pay more to park here."

She said sales had fallen a lot recently and the parking charge increases "are not going to help us market traders".

Wood artist Robert Bird, who runs Niddri Designs and has a stall in the market, said the parking charge increases would affect the whole town.

"If you look at Ludlow, there are lots of little empty shops and people are trying to build them up again and get things going," he said.

"If you start putting car park charges up like this, people are going to think twice about coming, and if they do come I don't think they are going to spend the money any more."

'Uphill struggle'

Wendy Woodward owns a cheese stall in Ludlow's market which has been in her family for 63 years.

She said: "The tourists don't seem to mind because I think over the country they find us cheaper than some places.

"But it will have a big impact on local people who already find it very expensive."

She said increasing costs for stallholders meant they were "struggling up a hill and running backwards".

Her only option was to give a good service and try to hold prices down as much as possible, she said.