Portishead businesses give views on end to free parking

The plan, which will see an end to free parking in Portishead, Clevedon and Nailsea, is a response to growing financial pressures on North Somerset Council, which has warned it needs to find millions of pounds to avoid issuing a section 114 notice and effectively declare bankruptcy. 

The charges will be introduced in several locations across Portishead, including Roath Road car park, Esplanade Road and the Lake Grounds car park, with the exact details still to be decided. 

But the scheme has been criticised by local businesses who say it will harm trade if customers go elsewhere to avoid paying the charges. 

There is also fear of a knock-on effect if drivers avoid the charges by parking on residential streets where there is free parking, making it difficult for the people who live there to find spaces.  

Barbara Thatcher, spokesperson for Portishead Open Air Pool. (Image: Declan O'Reilly) The Lake Grounds 

One of the businesses which will feel the impact the most is Portishead Open Air Pool, a lido and cafe on Esplanade Road, one of the streets where charges are set to be introduced. 

Barbara Thatcher, a spokesperson for the pool, said the plans will make it difficult for business. 

“It’s going to seriously affect our business model because we use volunteers,” she said.  

“They aren’t going to pay to park so they can volunteer. They are quite willing to give their time but if they are expected to pay as well, they won’t do it.”   

The Open Air Pool is not close to any bus stops and is at the bottom of a hill. For some of their elderly customers, driving is the only option. 

But Barbara fears even loyal customers will have to go elsewhere: “People are already struggling financially, and if they have to pay for parking to come and have a coffee, they might decide to go somewhere else. We will definitely lose custom.”   

Portishead Open Air Pool is on Esplanade Road, which is set to see charges introduced. (Image: Declan O'Reilly)

The pool is by the Lake Grounds, a park which contains a cafe, a cricket club, a tennis club and a skatepark.  

The park is popular with locals, but with parking charges being introduced to the Lake Grounds car park, there are fears it will have a “detrimental effect” to the area. 

Ben Aldridge, chairman of the Portishead Wheels and Skate Park (WASP), was instrumental in establishing the skatepark at the Lake Grounds. 

“When the agreements were signed with the funders, one of their caveats was that it is free to all,” he said. “Anyone can go there; it doesn’t matter who you are. It's free to everybody.” 

“If they do go ahead with the charges, I do fear it will have a detrimental effect on the use of the skatepark.” 

Ben claims he was never consulted by North Somerset Council about the impact the charges might have on the skatepark. 

He said the council is mistaken in thinking parking charges, which worked in Weston-super-Mare, will also work at Lake Grounds, a much less popular tourist destination.  

“Weston-super-Mare is a tourist town,” he said. “It has a beach, a pier. Lots of people flock there in the summer.”  

“To say we’re similar to Weston is wrong. We’re totally different.” 

Mark Hill, owner of The Sports Shop (Image: Declan O'Reilly) The High Street

The Lake Grounds isn’t the only place that will see the charges introduced. 

Roath Road car park, which is currently free, is used by shoppers and staff who work in stores along the High Street.  

Mark Hill, owner of The Sports Shop, said there would “definitely” be an impact on shops like his. 

“I’m concerned,” he said. “What it will do is put a strain on all the free car parks.”  

“It’s going to make it more difficult for people to park, and that might eventually put them off coming to the high street. It will affect the high street - definitely.” 

He said he thinks it will also impact nearby residential streets, particularly Slade Road which runs parallel to the High Street. 

Tanya Marriott lives on Slade Road, and said there are too many cars parked there already, before the charges have even been introduced. 

Road Road car park. (Image: Declan O'Reilly) “At the moment you’ve already got cars parked on both sides of the road and it’s not big enough for that,” she said.  

“Cars aren’t able to pass each other at the same time so it ends up being a one-way road.” 

Tanya, who owns shoe shop SoleLution, said her staff use the Roath Road car park, and that introducing charges will mean they are effectively being taxed. 

“It’s tough enough as it is on the high street at the moment, let alone having the council trying to make it even harder,” she said. 

“The people working here tend to park in Roath Road or the car park over the road. If they park in Roath Road now they’re going to be effectively taxed to come to work.” 

Sarah and Lucy Tynan, co-owners of florist Sarah Tynan Flowers, say they are concerned their customers might choose to buy flowers from supermarkets to avoid the hassle of high street shopping. 

“It’s a huge threat to business,” said Sarah.   

“The high street is dead anyway, and bringing in parking charges is just going to discourage shoppers.”  

“For us the concern is they will go to a supermarket where there’s free parking just because it’s easier.” 

Sarah and Lucy Tynan, owners of Sarah Tynan Flowers. (Image: Declan O'Reilly) Lucy agreed that the general decline of the high street adds to the problems raised by the introduction of parking charges.  

“The rent is going up and up and up, there’s empty buildings, there’s not a lot of independently owned businesses on the high street, there’s not much to entice people,” she said. 

“If you add parking charges on top of that, they will all just go elsewhere.” 

Responding to some of the claims from local businesses, a spokesperson for North Somerset Council said: “Like many councils across the country, North Somerset faces a significant financial challenge.  

“The introduction of parking charges in Portishead will help reduce some of the cost pressures on the council and its delivery of essential services. 

“Before the charges are introduced, there will be a round of statutory consultation through the Traffic Regulation Order process.  

“This will give residents a further opportunity to comment on the charges and we are working with local sports clubs and others to understand how we can help mitigate impact that charges might have. 

“We will monitor how the parking proposals are working to gauge any impacts they are having, for example on overspill to surrounding streets, and we will this feed into a review of the scheme after six to twelve months of operation.”