Illegal parking debate continues

I have read with interest the opinions and articles regarding the ongoing parking debate in Rye, especially with concern to Lion Street and deliveries to The George Hotel.

The meetings that have taken place to address the town’s parking issues seem to have come up with two answers, both of which involve a dedicated parking space/loading bay for The George Hotel.

The point needs to be made that not so long ago, The George had deliveries made ‘off street’ in the courtyard area to the rear of the hotel. Unfortunately, they decided to commercialise this space to the extent that delivery vehicles are unable to access this area and need to park illegally either in Lion Street or outside the front of the hotel on the High Street in order to ply their trade. Profits before practicality?

On one occasion I was blocked from exiting Lion Street whilst a delivery van parked right across the exit onto the High Street. After several minutes I politely asked the driver to move (after all he was illegally parked, impeding the flow of traffic and causing much disruption) only to be met with a volley of obscenities. I took the inconvenience of the now growing number of drivers up with the hotel receptionist who asked the driver to move once she realised the language he was using in the hotel reception area was audible to guests.

The point is, The George Hotel had a perfectly good loading / unloading area in the rear courtyard. Indeed I used to deliver there myself, with a 7.5 ton lorry, with ease. They decided to remove what is now seen as an essential facility and now expect a dedicated parking space on the High Street? Will every business on the High Street have dedicated parking bays? Of course they wont.

If The George does succeed in obtaining this special status, it will be very interesting to see how many people abuse ‘their’ parking bay at their inconvenience....after all, what’s good for the goose?

Tim Saunders, Wittersham.