Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Traders fear parking charge rise from £2.80 to £6 will kill off shops
Traders in Harringay have hit out at parking charge hikes which they warn could spell the death of their high street by “driving away” potential customers. Shoppers will now have to shell out £6 to park for up to two hours on the stretch of Green Lanes next to the Harringay Ladder, and business-owners say the increase from £2.80 imposed by Haringey Council is already costing them dearly.
Clive Disney, 49, of Disney’s furniture shop, a family business which has been based in Grand Parade since 1913, told the Advertiser: “People are going to pull up to the meter, see the charge of £6 and drive off.
“This is going to have a really big impact, especially in the current trading situation. If times were good, it is something we would fight anyway but so many businesses are really struggling at the moment.
“Already we get so many people ringing up for a quote because they say they passed by and couldn’t find a parking meter or it was too expensive to stop.
“The trading estate is just up the road and it is free to park up there. We are supposed to compete on an even basis with those shops but it’s impossible.
“Once we have got the customers in the shop we can hopefully impress them with our service and the more personal experience of shopping at an independent, family-run shop like ours, but if we can’t get them in in the first place we don’t stand a chance.”
Shefik Mehmet, chairman of the Harringay Traders’ Association, called an emergency meeting of traders on Tuesday afternoon to address the issue.
He said: “I get calls every day from traders reporting back from their customers about parking problems. We are being classed the same as the Wood Green shopping centre area which is ridiculous. “This is going to make things very difficult for business-owners and we are going to see more shops closing.”
Councillor Nilgun Canver, cabinet member for neighbourhoods at the council, said that the rise in parking charges was the first since 2008.
“Careful consideration was given to the impact of the increased costs, and the changes were introduced in April following a consultation period, including a survey of visitors to the area,” she said.
“The popularity of Green Lanes as a shopping area means that demand for parking is very high. We hope that the new charges will encourage a turnover of use – discouraging drivers from taking spaces for too long and allowing more shoppers to visit the area, which will be of benefit to traders.”
Story from Haringey Advertiser
Tags for Forum Posts: high street parking, high streets
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Peter L. Bailey on
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I've had two suits from those charity shops, hardly used, as well as umpteen 7" singles and LPs. Love it! Its why I go to Crouchers!
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Permalink Reply by KP on
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The person who tweeted that has obviously never visited either Wood Green or Tottenham!
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Permalink Reply by SarahC on
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When I lived in Crouch End (admittedly this was pre-Waitrose, Marks etc) I used to specifically go to Green Lanes for food shopping. And occasionally previously when I lived in South London. It seems to me you've got some of the best food in London on your doorstep and no one appreciates it. Mind you, now I'm close by out of laziness I tend to shop in Wood Green, cursing.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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The traders are reporting that Councillor Caver will be goig in to bat for them on parking charges in the cabinet:
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what kills off shopping in Green Lanes is nightmare traffic; what can't traders have early/timed deliveries and beyond that no parking at all. That includes Disney. People could use the ample public transport if they want to visit GL -transport that wouild work effecitivey if it didn't have to compete with private cars. Does no body find GL a polluting nightmare of traffic?
Judy
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