Worried shopkeepers are calling for people to shop local after parking charges were introduced across the district.
From Monday, revised tariffs were introduced at Babergh District Council-owned car parks in Sudbury, Hadleigh and Lavenham.
The change brings an end to the popular provision of three hours’ free parking, which the district council claimed it could no longer afford to subsidise.
Jamie Towells, Jamie’s Meat Inn, in North Street, Sudbury. Pictures: Mark Westley
In imposing the fees, leading councillors said they “did not believe” a town’s success was solely down to parking charges, butshopkeepers are not so sure.
Jamie Towells, who runs Jamie’s Meat Inn, in North Street, Sudbury, has now offered to pay a full day’s parking of £2.50, if customers spend £30 in his shop.
“We have a good community spirit here and we do as much as we can,” he said.
The charges began on Monday
“Everyone is saying how quiet it is this week and it is a case of ‘use us or lose us’.
His thoughts were echoed by Jenny Hay, who runs Rewind Records in Gaol Lane, and is considering running a similar scheme.
“We had one person in yesterday and two today, when usually it’s a lot busier,” she said. “It’s very worrying, especially as this is our first year in business.”
One of her neighbours in Gaol Lane, Lizzy Munson, who runs the Therapy Room, said: “The car park used to be rammed but was empty on Monday.
Jenny Hay, Rewind Records, Gaol Lane, Sudbury
“I want to expand but I am already wondering if I should move out of town to an industrial estate, or somewhere with free parking.”
Steve and Tony Byfield, who run Ray’s Retro Classic Toys & Collectables in North Street, said trade had dropped “massively” over the first two days of the week.
Tony said: “What’s more concerning, and what people are worried about, is that, at some stage, the charges will go up.”
Tony Byfield, Ray’s Retro Ray’s Retro classic toys and collectables, North Street, Sudbury
Short-stay car parks now cost £1 for up to an hour, £1.50 for two hours, £2 for three hours, and £2.50 for four hours
Long-stay car parks carry a charge of £1 for up to two hours, £1.50 for three hours, £2 for four hours, and £2.50 to park all day.
Babergh leaders say the new charges are necessary to help address the “significant budget pressures” of the forthcoming financial year.
It says the current cost of subsiding free parking, which stands at £425,000, jeopardises other essential services and that the new fees are “modest” and below those of neighbouring authorities.
In Sudbury, the new charges have taken effect at car parks in Ballingdon Street, Blackfriars, Girling Street, Great Eastern Road, Mill Lane, North Street, Quay Lane, Station Road and Stour Street.
The affected sites in Hadleigh are in High Street, Magdalen Road, Maiden Way, Stonehouse Road and Toppesfield Hall.
New parking charges have been introduced. Picture by Mark Westley
For Lavenham, the fees apply to Prentice Street and the Cock Horse Inn car park.
Opinions from shoppers in Sudbury were divided when the Free Press visited five of the affected car parks, with views ranging from fears it will “kill the town” to Sudbury “having had it too good for too long”.
A spokesperson for Babergh District Council said: “We’ve been open about the financial challenges we face as a council and that we have had no option but to introduce charges for short-stay parking.
“We have offered reassurance throughout this process that these charges would be modest and below those of neighbouring authorities – and, in fact, include a reduction to the current cost of all-day parking in Sudbury and Hadleigh.
“We do not believe that [town centre] success is defined solely by parking charges.
“Our towns offer a huge amount for visitors, and we believe people should be prepared to pay a small charge to park.”