'It will rip the heart out of the town': Residents and businesses shun care home plans for Bridgnorth car park
Residents and businesses have had their say on proposals to build a care home on one of the main car parks in a town.
The plans from LNT Care Developments would see a three-storey, 66-room residential home built on Old Smithfield Car Park in Bridgnorth.
Petitions circling shops throughout the town – including L.W. Foxall, which said it was against the plans – have gained dozens of signatures from people objecting to the proposals, which would result in the loss of more than 100 spaces.
John Crowther from Worfield uses Old Smithfield as his main car park when visiting Bridgnorth.
The 70-year-old said: "We're trying to bring the town back to its feet after the pandemic but there's going to be nowhere to park.
"The fact it's going to turn into a care home is ridiculous – don't get me wrong I'm old and I'll need somewhere to go in time but the point is, it's going to rip the heart out of the town.
"Tourists bring in trade here but they're not going to be able to park. I'm totally against it.
"I always park here and if it goes, I will still support the town as best I can but it will mean people won't come here as much."
Business owner Mel Rees is planning to open Carrie England Interior Designs on Cartway in the coming months.
He said: "Parking is a massive issue in Bridgnorth as it is, so this is just a bad idea.
"If there's a lack of residential spaces for elderly people there must be somewhere else other than one of the main car parks.
"Trade will see the affect – you've got a lack of parking already and I think this will stop people from coming here.
"Parking is expensive and this is one of our cheaper car parks."
Bridgnorth resident Bill Evans, 87, said the issue of parking was so bad, he had paid thousands of pounds extra for his home to ensure it had a parking space.
Speaking after a visit to the medical practice next to the site, he said: "Even the local nurses and doctors have to use the car park and pay sometimes.
"And with the loss to businesses over the last 12 months, they're looking for every penny they can find.
"A lot of people travel here from afar and maybe that will stop if they haven't got anywhere to park."
Jacqui Riley, owner of Violet's Tea Room in Waterloo Terrace, said customers often turned up late due to parking.
"We're already short of spaces in both High Town and Low Town," she said.
"We have many people that have booked in phone us and say they're late because they can't get a parking space – it's already a struggle so to build anything on that site will be a disaster for the town.
"People will visit once, find there's nowhere to go and won't come back."
Jessica Preston, owner of Alley Katz toy shop, added: "I think the shops will notice the difference because people will just think they can't be bothered to try and find a space when they know how difficult it is.
"It will push people to go to one of the bigger towns where they can park such as Telford, so I think business will be affected."
