Traders angered by lack of carpark grit

Businesses at The Wharf, Newark, lost out because the carpark was not adequately gritted, according to traders.

Mr Frank Dyson, who runs the Castle Barge pub, said there were only two cars in the carpark all day on Monday because it was left covered in snow and ice.

He said: “It put customers off. On Monday the carpark was almost totally unused. There were just two cars that had obviously been abandoned there because of the conditions, and they were ticketed.

“Is was quite dangerous as well, especially when the remnants froze over. I am sure it will have affected all the businesses round here.”

He said the only part of the carpark gritted was the area around the ticket machine.

The manager at Pizza Express, Mr Oliver Truswell, said their takings were down on Monday evening.

“At 5pm there was barely a car in the carpark and the early evening would normally be a busy time for us,” he said.

“If it had been properly cleared there would have been more customers. We were down on what we normally take on a Monday.

“Anyone who visited the area would not have wanted to park here.”

Mrs Jenni Oliver, a partner at Andy Oliver Photography, said: “You would like to think customers could park safely. If you are paying to park, you expect to be able to park safely.”

A spokesman for Newark and Sherwood District Council said The Wharf was gritted.

He said it was council policy to grit all its carparks when snow and ice were forecast.

He said: “We concentrate on the paths around ticket machines and exits and entrances, and we clear snow using a plough where possible.

“Obviously once snow is driven on and becomes compacted, it’s difficult to clear and we can’t clear all of the carparks simultaneously, but we do them as quickly as we can.

“We also have to clear Newark and Southwell market places in order to keep business moving.”

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