Otley businesses welcome Town Council's removal of Kirkgate planters

Businesses claim the planters negatively affected trade

Business owners have welcomed the removal of planters from a town centre high street, with one describing the period since their installation as "hell".

Otley Town Council removed the planters from Kirkgate over the weekend after a temporary order for their use expired.

Several business said they had negatively affected trade.

The council said it was aware "the planters have divided opinion amongst residents and businesses".

The installations, which did not require a public consultation, replaced temporary barriers put in place during the coronavirus pandemic to help social distancing.

"It's cost us thousands of pounds," said Steven Nelson, who owns The 20p Shop on Kirkgate with his wife Angela.

"The majority of people in this town thought they were a damned nuisance."

'It's been hell'

Some of the planters were installed directly outside Mr Nelson's shop, stopping cars from parking there.

"It's been hell," he said.

"For two days now they have not been here, traffic has been moving better and the whole place feels better for it."

Abdulcelal Arik, who owns Mardini Café, said the planters left trade down by about 25%.

Discussing their removal, he said: "It's better, we have more space. Before, it was narrowing the street and always making accidents.

"They hit my car four times because the road was narrowing."

Mr Arik said the accidents had seen his car insurance costs almost double.

He described that as "double hurt", adding: "My age is 52 but I feel like a million years.

"I hope everything will be better. It looks better."

Paul Lindsey, who runs Beks Electrical, also predicted he had lost about 25% of his trade.

He said: "A lot of people used to stop for sacks of seed, they are not going to carry a sack of seed halfway around Otley. Bird seed is a big thing for us."

'No further forward'

Yellow lines have recently been painted on the road through Kirkgate, meaning cars will still be unable to park there.

Double yellow lines have recently been painted on Kirkgate

Mr Lindsey said: "We are no further forward.

"It's a week before Christmas. It's a bit disappointing. We will get Christmas out of the way and see what we can do."

In a statement, Otley Town Council said: "We are aware that the planters have divided opinion amongst residents and businesses, and we hope this decision fosters a more positive local spirit, to the benefit of the town centre.

"The Town Council will continue to work with the wider community to promote residents' aspirations, expressed in response to the Street Vision 2030 consultation, for safer, more pleasant streets and better provision for walkers and wheelers."

Council leader Richard Hughes declined to comment further.

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