VOTE: Parking fee rise will 'destroy Bognor's town centre'

Pushing through proposed rises would see the retail centre decline into a disastrous downward spiral, they warned.

The demands for Arun District Council to ditch its proposals for increases on April 1 of up to 13 per cent in town centre locations was led by a Pevensey councillor.

Conservative Trevor Bence said the current dire economic conditions were without precedent. They had left the London Road precinct and the High Street on the edge of disaster.

He counted just 30 people walking south to north along the precinct in 45 minutes around noon on Tuesday last week.

One town centre shopkeeper told him he had not seen a customer for four days.

Mr Bence continued: "The town is at its lowest ebb in the 35 years I have been walking around it. If we don't drive customers through the shop doors, they will continue to go to Chichester.

"We won't have a town centre worth talking about if Arun doesn't take the lead.

"We have to do something radical to encourage people to come to Bognor. If they don't, you will have a town which nobody supports. Bognor will not exist then.

"This is not a joke. It is a very serious matter. Companies will make decisions to close very quickly. If the council doesn't act now, it will be too late in three months' time. We will be faced with a fait accompli."

He stated the extent of the downturn, which has seen the closure of Woolworths and the imminent departure of Mothercare, as well as other shops, had seen him change his mind about the proposed parking fee rises.

He had gone along with them as a member of the district council's parking review panel three months ago. But he now believed any increases could not be justified.

He made his plea at a summit between businesses and councillors attended by ten people in Bognor Regis Town Hall.

Others present went even further. They wanted parking charges scrapped entirely.

Liberal Democrat district and town councillor Paul Wells, who arranged the session, said he estimated 19 retail premises around the town centre were already empty.

Woolworths was the highest profile one. Yet he had found out there was no interest among retailers in taking it over.

"For all the talk about regeneration in the past few years, and of shops wanting to come to Bognor, we have a prime site in the middle of the town with no takers," he commented.

He believed another five or six businesses were up for sale and even more were set to leave. "The situation is critical out there on the High Street," he pointed out. Arun should be looking to do what it can to help the situation."

Property landlord and Bognor Regis Civic Society deputy chairman Hugh Coster said introducing free parking would be an immediate contribution by Arun towards Bognor's regeneration.

"The regeneration schemes might happen or might not but this is something the council can do which will help Bognor enormously '“ so much more than talking about regeneration. Increasing charges is a sign of business as usual because it's what Arun have been doing over the years.

"But, of course, it's not business as usual for anyone else by a long, long way."

Model shop owner Rupert Harper said: "If I can get customers through my door, I will do the rest to get them to buy items. But I need them to come into the town first.

"I want them to have a shopping experience rather than a panic to get back to their cars before they get a ticket."

Give motorists two free hours.

Jim Brooks, an Independent town and district councillor for Bognor Marine, continued his campaign for two hours free parking between 9am and 11am in Arun's off-road sites.

"Parking charges should be based on usage rather than across the board amounts. Arun wouldn't lose any money because most of the spaces are empty during those hours," he stated.

Mike Stevens, who runs two businesses, said: "Free parking would be a clarion call for Bognor.

"It would be a fantastic advertisement for Arun and show everybody it is doing what it can to make people want to come back to Bognor."

What they want to charge

These are the charges which the Observer revealed last month Arun wants to impose on its car parks from April 1. Current prices in brackets:

Regis Centre, Hothamton '“ up to one hour 70p (65p); up to two hours 1.40 (1.30); up to three hours 2.10 (1.95); up to four hours 2.80 (2.60); over four hours 6 (6).

Lyon Street '“ up to one hour 1.10 (1.05); up to two hours 2.20 (2.10); over two hours 3.40 (3.20).

London Road '“ up to one hour 55p (50p); up to two hours 1.10 (1); over two hours 1.60 (1.50).

Fitzleet '“ up to two hours 50p (45p); up to three hours 1.70 (1.65); up four hours 2.30 (2.20); over four hours 5 (5).

Gloucester Road, Hotham Park, Culver Road, Felpham, Rock Gardens '“ up to two hours 1.10 (1.05); up to four hours 3.25 (3.15); over four hours 6.50 (6.30).

Town centre permits: town centre car parks '“ five day permit 350 (325); seven day annual 400 (372); seven day monthly 85 (78).

Fitzleet car park '“ annual 100 (88).

Seasonal car parks '“ annual (120) 103; summer 70 (59); winter 50 (44).

Do you think free parking will play a significant role in boosting Bognor's business? To cast your vote see the panel on the right.

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