Struggling Worksop traders call on council to scrap town parking charges

They say cancelling tariffs is ‘the least’ Bassetlaw Council could do to help small shops battling to recover following months of falling trade.

The council currently charges £1 an hour - rising to £3 for three hours and £4 for the day at the majority of its car parks.

However with nearby Mansfield’s council having extended free parking throughout the day at all of its car parks until September small business owners say shoppers have no reason to come into Worksop.

Sheila Malbon, of Worksop’s Deuce Ladies Fashions, told how during a trip to Mansfield on Sunday she found the town ‘busier than Worksop on a Saturday’.

She said: “On Saturday I had two people through the shop door and I didn’t take a penny - I think free parking would help massively.

“After the floods a lot of shops have stayed closed so people aren’t going to come into town for the half-a-dozen shops that are open.

“Something’s going to have to change because I can’t afford to keep going with no money coming in.”

Backing calls for free parking Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith has started a petition in support of one hour’s free parking.

However Sheila, speaking about the petition, said: “I think that’s neither here nor there.

“People queue for 20 minutes to get into the car parks - if they introduced completely free parking they would bring people into the town.”

Roger Stocks, of community Facebook page Worksop Independence, said members felt the council were ‘doing nothing to proactively support Worksop’.

He said: “With people still recovering from the November floods charging for parking is the nail in the coffin.

“People are thinking ‘why should I pay for parking when I can go to Mansfield or Meadowhall?’

“We cannot afford to lose any more businesses but a lot of them are about ready to give up - free parking in the town would be a place to start.”

Councillor Simon Greaves, Leader of Bassetlaw District Council said: “The council is proud of all the proactive business support it has provided to help get through the coronavirus pandemic.

“Everyone has been working hard to re-open our town centres – it’s disappointing that calls upon Government for extra financial support for local business have fallen upon deaf ears.

“As everyone begins to take the first steps towards recovery Bassetlaw is maintaining its commitment to support local key workers and we’re are delighted to continue to provide free parking for them during this time.

Bassetlaw currently provides more free parking every day in its car parks across the district than at any time.

“Over a number of years Government has imposed a number of dramatic cuts to Council budgets.

“We sincerely hope that government will step up to the plate and make funding available to support local people, business and the redevelopment of our town centres in the weeks and months ahead.”

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