Parking changes in Ludlow 'hitting B&B owners'

Councillor Andy Boddington raised the problem at Wednesday's Shropshire Council cabinet meeting, calling for a review of the way charges are made.

He said the problems revolved around the withdrawal of scratchcards that enabled accommodation providers to get car parking for their guests in the town centre at a cost of £4 a day or £28 a week.

But he said the concession had been taking away with the cost rising to £126 a week.

"This has deterred visitors booking self-catering or B&B accommodation in the town," he said.

"Visitors must park outside the town centre in Galdeford leaving them with a walk of up to a kilometre to their residence. We have extensive feedback from accommodation owners that this is leading to a cancellation of bookings."

"We need to keep the economy of small and distant market towns like Ludlow thriving."

One of the businesses which has brought up the problem is the The Apartment in Mill Street.

The self catering holiday let is run by Andrew Kennedy and his wife.

"We are already experiencing the negative impact of this, both on our own business and that of other Self Catering and B&B businesses within the town," he said.

" In our view the removal of the concession was a direct attack on encouraging tourism in Ludlow. I seriously don’t believe that the needs of our particular businesses were considered when the strategy was planned."

Another town having problems with the new parking strategy is Wem, its councillor, Pauline Dee says.

She says that she had been approached by several residents about the rise in the cost of the off street residents' parking permit.

"The cost has risen from £75 to £192. That is simply outrageous," she said.

Replying to Councillor Boddington, the Council's portfolio holder for transport, Councillor Steve Davenport said that the parking strategy would be reviewed by the scrutiny committee in May.