Shopkeepers rally against Fareham council's plans to restrict parking in parade

The owners of the six shops in Anjou Crescent, Fareham are deeply opposed to the borough council’s plans for the parade as they claim it will isolate customers.

The proposals are to restrict the street’s 11 parking bays down to two-hours parking from Monday to Saturday between the hours of 8am to 6pm and implement double yellow lines along the eastern and western entrances to the street.

Notices went up in the parade and Blackbrook Road two weeks ago triggering a consultation which the public can comment on and is due to finish on Friday.

The shopkeepers of the crescent’s six shops - Richard’s Newsagents, Chinese restaurant Happy Garden, Goldilocks hair salon, Ghandi Indian takeaway, AJ electrical services and beauty salon Beauty and Nails.

Sally Hooper, owner of Beauty and Nails said: ‘This is the kind of street that is almost like its own village community. We all know the customers and don’t want anything to damage that relationship.

‘These proposals will cause animosity and strife as we will all have to park along Blackbrook Road which ambulances and buses always struggle to get through.’

Caroline Pryke, owner of Goldilocks, added: ‘My customers think it will be ridiculous, they just do not understand it.’

A spokesperson for the borough council said the proposals are due to the local authority receiving a number of complaints about parking in the street.

The council says they are concerned that some vehicles are parked for days at a time and this long term parking reduces the availability of spaces outside the shops.

Councillor Trevor Cartwright, executive member for public protection at the council added: ‘It is normal to put notices in the area with proposals for parking restrictions, this then invites any comments from interested parties.

‘These comments are taken on board and any proposals can be changed as a result of the consultation. No restrictions have been put in place yet and our objective for Anjou Crescent is to achieve the best compromise, taking into account the needs of shoppers, shopkeepers and local residents both in and around Anjou Crescent itself.’

Mark Smith, a resident of Blackbrook Road said: ‘Parking around here is a nightmare. I really do not know what the council are thinking about with these proposals. Ambulances just can’t get through, why make it worse?’

‘It really just begs the question of why do it?’