Traders fear road chaos and loss of custom

The decision to end public use of the Turk’s Head carpark met with mixed feelings from shop owners and residents.

The pub is being converted into a vets’ surgery.

This week the site owners, vets Mr Jonathan Newman and Miss Jane Watters, have placed notices on car windscreens listing problems that have been caused and advising that parking would no longer be allowed.

The manager of Banks’ greengrocers on Main Street, Balderton, Mrs Hazel Pond, said she understood as a business why they had made the decision but that a lot of her customers relied on the carpark, especially while roadworks were in place on Main Street.

“I am not surprised that they have taken action,” said Mrs Pond.

She said she would contact the new owners to try to come to an agreement over parking, at least until the roadworks were finished and her customers could park outside the shop again.

The owner of the Post Office on Main Street, Mr Jay Modhavdia, said there would be chaos on Main Street if customers had to park on the road.

He was worried that business could drop because customers, especially the elderly, would not be able to get to the shop easily.

Mr Modhavdia said there were problems with anti-social behaviour on the carpark at weekends, but that was nothing to do with people who used it during the day.

He said if the owners called the police when there were youths there causing trouble, the problem would be solved.

“I can see there being big trouble with traffic,” he said.

“I have never seen that carpark full. It is quite big for what they need to use it for.”

Mr David Holt (63) of Smithson Close, Balderton, uses the carpark three or four times a week when going to the Post Office.

“It will be a great loss because there is not much parking around here,” he said.

“It’s a shame because most people do not do any harm. Somebody has always got to spoil it for other people.”

Kathryn Mortimore (44) of Moulton Crescent, Balderton, said she had seen the carpark entrance blocked a couple of times when she had been to the Post Office.

She said if cars were forced to park on Main Street pedestrians and children would be at risk because of the amount of traffic.

“Having one section of the carpark for Post Office customers would be safer than people just parking on the road and running in,” she said.

Mrs Rita Shuma of Manners Road, Balderton, said gates across the entrance could be used to block access after the veterinary surgery closed for the day.

“It will be such a loss if we can’t park here because Main Street always gets congested,” she said. “It will be chaos.”

Mrs Shuma, who walks with a stick, said the carpark provided quick and easy access to the shops and Post Office.

Mrs Betty Isherwood (75) if Manners Road, Balderton, said the carpark was useful but she could understand why the new owners did not want people to continue parking on it.

Mr John Wilson, of Pinfold Lane, Balderton, said he accepted the decision because it was private property and people could not do anything about it.