A sixth shop-owner is facing closure in a street where traders say they are being driven out by parking restrictions.

David Warburton, of Fabric Warehouse, in George Street, Brighton, says trade has been so badly hit by a new Kemp Town parking scheme he has had to put in £12,000 of his savings to keep the business afloat.

Last month his fellow George Street trader David Ford, director of Tranquillity Aquatic and Reptile Centre, moved to Warren Road, in Woodingdean, saying trade had dropped by 70 per cent since new parking controls were introduced.

Mr Warburton, 65, of Ridgeway, Woodingdean, said: "I have had enough. I have been in Kemp Town since 1996 and I am happy here but this is crucifying me."

Shop-owners say a traffic scheme introduced at the beginning of April has been the last straw in a district where parking has always been a problem.

Pay and display machines accepting a minimum charge of £1.50 for an hour's stay were introduced in George Street, Edward Street and St James's Street and traders say they have seen a sharp decline in business.

Mr Warburton is also angry that the single yellow line outside his shop has been replaced with a double yellow, leaving nowhere for customers to load their cars without risking a ticket.

He said: "I had a disabled customer in here the other day who got a ticket because her disabled badge was upside down in her car window.

"Customers can't come in, relax and take their time choosing. They are scared they are going to be ticketed."

Darren Walsh, the owner of Redwood Furniture, left George Street last year and is now based in Preston Village. Mr Walsh, 37, of South Road, Brighton, said: "The parking was a factor in my leaving.

"I lost customers through it, without a shadow of a doubt. People got ticketed while they were in the shop or when they were trying to load furniture into their cars."

Redwood Furniture has been replaced by Quest travel agents which moved in last May. Brian Penfold, 34, of Marine Parade, is the manager of Quest. He said: "It doesn't bother us so much because people will come in and stay for an hour. What they resent is having to pay £1.50 when they only need to spend ten minutes in a shop."

Bright 'n' Bleach hairdressers, Miss Jones fancy goods store and the Jury coffee shop, which had been trading for 40 years, also left the road in the past two years because of parking problems.

Tom Mannouch, secretary of St James's Street Traders' Association, said: "Until the council realise shopping in this district needs to be saved and not discouraged, we're always going to have a problem."

Gill Mitchell, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove Council environment committee, said: "Six months after parking measures are put in place we hold a consultation to find out if we need to review anything.

"I would suggest people put their views to us during that consultation period."

Friday, June 17, 2005