Pubs in Queenborough Protest Council's Parking Fees

0:00On April 24, pubs and queen borough on the Isle of Shepion Kent are pushing back hard against local counselors. Ten members of the Swale Borough Council's Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee just got banned from several spots after voting to. Scrap free parking at the park road car park. Starting April 1, drivers now face a £1.60 per hour charge and business owners say it's straight up killing their trade. Things exploded with over 2,800 signatures from furious locals and the vote happened back in November with nine counselors and favour and one abstaining as chair. The backlash hit quick with signs going up outside pubs like the old house at home and the flying Dutchman politely telling those ten to stay away. Bar staff and managers are feeling the pinch bad car park sit empty while nearby streets fill up, slashing takings by half some days. They call the move unfair and selfish since counselors aren't regular customers parking there and it's even hitting employees with no spots left.

1:03One pub owner who's run his place for 10 years says it's devastating small businesses, sending folks to big chains with free parking. Meanwhile, the council defends it as a tough call for a balanced budget under money woes. Charges here are still lower than nearby coastal spots, matching others in the borough like sheerness and sitting-born. They tweaked plans based on feedback like no fees during school runs and seasonal pricing to ease peak times. Folks like an 81-year-old with a free parking pass are even parking on streets in solidarity warning it'll just clog roads without raising. Cash. Once he shops skipped a ban, figuring counselors never show anyway, the council plans to review the whole impact soon across the borough.