'The high-street will die with new parking charges'

Businesses owners in Regent Street have signed an open letter to the council

Businesses owners have warned that new parking charges pose a "significant threat" to the future of their independent high-street.

South Gloucestershire Council introduced the car park charges across its area on 19 May covering 08:00 until 18:00, Monday to Saturday.

But businesses on Kingswood High Street have come together to write an open letter asking the council to re-think the move, which sees drivers charged 70p for the first hour in short stay car parks, rising to £5 for up to four hours.

Cabinet member for communities and local place, Sean Rhodes, said the council needed to bring in the charges due to the £2m black hole in the council's budget.

Parking in long-stay car-parks range from £3 for the first four hours, up to £5 for six hours.

Dawn Tadghighi owns Quest Boutique, which has been in Kingswood for 40 years, and said she has already seen a loss to her business.

"Figures have gone down in the last few days," she said. "I've had customers coming in saying they can't spend more time [here].

"They're always going to be watching the clock. The high-street will die.

"We want to stay, we want to give something to the community but it's like they [the council] don't want a high street anymore."

Business owner Kate Carter says she is worried about the impact the new car parking charges are having

In the open letter traders said that "numerous local residents have voiced their frustration... stating that they will now travel to neighbouring areas where free parking is still available".

"This shift in shopping behaviour poses a significant threat to the viability of Kingswood's independent High Street businesses," they added.

Kate Carter manages the Market Café Longue and indoor market on Regent's Street and is a contributor to the letter.

She told BBC Radio Bristol that she was "so despondent" reading messages from the public who do not want to visit Kingswood with the changes in place.

"I hope by putting our message across as the business owners that we [show] we care," she said.

"We want it to be better and this is really going to have a negative impact on us."

New parking pay machines have been installed across the South Gloucestershire Council area - including in Thornbury

Mr Rhodes acknowledged the letter and said the council continues to work closely with local businesses on the regeneration of the area.

He said the council has engaged with businesses "all the way" through the process, adding that the charges are low compared to Bristol.

"We really wrangled over the cost of this for a long time and that's why we settled on what I think is a relatively low price," he said.

"Councils across the country are really up against it financially.

"When we came into administration we were left with a £2m annual revenue generation budget line from the previous conservative administration."