'Venues are in dire need of our support' - Northampton businesses voice concerns about 'shortsighted' parking proposals

Under the draft budget proposed by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), a number of changes to car parking charges have been proposed, which would see the two hours of free parking at weekends scrapped for an all-day fee of £3, and other increases to hourly rates.

Around 40 town centre businesses have signed a joint letter to WNC, expressing strong opposition to the parking charges and urging them to rethink the proposals. The list includes many stalwart businesses.

Speaking to the LDRS about their decision to sign the anti-parking charges letter, Patrick Leonard, personal tailoring manager at Montague Jeffrey in St Giles Street, said: “It’s a discouragement for people coming into Northampton.

“When it comes to car parking charges, we need to be massively competitive. Our current car park charges are, in certain areas, greater than Milton Keynes and we’ve certainly got a great deal of competition from Rushden Lakes.

“They do need to reconsider the charges and I personally think they’re too steep.”

Tom Green, from Square Feet Cowork, which offers shared office spaces in the town centre, said: “It is essential that these parking charge increases are not implemented in the proposed budget. The preservation of free weekend parking is essential to facilitate visitors coming to the town.

“I’m amazed that this shortsighted action is being considered. Our small businesses in the town centre, workers, salons, shops and hospitality venues are in dire need of our support.

“If we continue to discourage town centre shopping, we soon won’t have a vibrant town centre to visit. The loss to the local economy will be huge and irreversible.”

Finn, owner of the Finn & Co hair salon in St Giles Street, raised concerns about the impact that the changes could have on low-income workers who need to drive into the town centre for their jobs.

He added: “It would be really impactful, it would put off a lot of our clientele actually coming in and there is already a bit of an annoyance about how much it is for the parking.

“Going up that bit more is ridiculous. How can [the council] justify supporting business and supporting the high street when they’re going to put the prices up?”

Sarai, from Albert J Ramsbottom in Abington Street, said: “People have actually told us that they don’t come to Northampton because of the parking already.

“The increase is not really justifiable – they need to be doing other things to incentivise people coming into the town and not putting them off. Even one hour free could be so helpful and make it more accessible.

“We physically can’t do anymore as businesses to drag people in.”

The letter, addressed to WNC leader Mark Arnull, refers to “years of disruption” to businesses caused by town centre regeneration works. It raises concerns that the increase in charges, alongside the removal of the free weekend parking period, risks undoing much of the progress that this regeneration was supposed to deliver.

It continues: “For small and independent businesses, even a modest drop in visitors can be the difference between survival and closure. These proposals feel like an easy target, but the long-term cost to the town centre economy could far outweigh any short-term financial gain.”

Mike Reader, MP for Northampton South, who supported businesses in submitting the joint letter, said: “Northampton’s businesses are the backbone of our town, and they have already shown remarkable resilience through years of disruption from Covid and regeneration works.

“That’s why so many traders are struggling to understand proposals that would increase parking charges and remove free weekend parking at this moment in time, and why so many businesses reached out to me for help.

“If we make it harder or more expensive for people to visit Northampton, we undermine jobs and the very recovery regeneration was meant to support. I strongly support local businesses in calling for these proposals to be scrapped and for genuine engagement with traders to take place before any final decisions are taken.”

Mark Mullen, operations manager at Northampton Town Centre BID, said they also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of WNC to present the views of the business community.

He told the LDRS: “Representing the interests of more than 600 businesses, we stressed the detrimental impact previous parking charge rises have historically had on our town centre. The BID voiced three key concerns: A potential reduction in the numbers of people coming to the town centre, the suggested removal of the current two-hour free weekend parking and a negative message it would send out to businesses considering investment into the town centre.

“The BID acknowledged the complexities of the current financial climate and the costs required to maintain the upkeep of our car parks but highlighted the need to consider this as part of the much bigger picture, which is the economic health of the town centre.

“The BID also recommended that WNC gives serious consideration to those working in the town centre and how they can park all day cost effectively to attract good quality employees, without limiting parking for visitors. The BID looks forward to continuing those conversations and ensuring the voice of our brilliant town centre business community is heard when the final decision is made later this month.”

WNC has previously said that updating parking charges would help to manage limited spaces and maintain car parks to a high standard.

The consultation on the draft budget proposals closed on Tuesday February 3, marking the end of six weeks of public engagement. WNC said it was actively looking at how it might be able to shape its proposals based on the feedback.

The final budget proposals will be decided on at full council later this month.