A Thurso businessman held his keys in the air and said Highland Council can have his company if controversial parking plans go ahead in the town.
This was the dramatic climax of a meeting in the Pentland Hotel on Tuesday evening when community councillor and potato merchant Kyle Manson stood up and said the local authority can have his Brabster Street business as it will be ruined by the proposed restrictions.
The dramatic moment that Kyle Manson held the keys of his Brabster Street business aloft and declared that the council can have them if the parking plans are implemented. Picture: DGSIain Gregory was the meeting’s facilitator and conducted it with expert knowledge of the issues facing residents and businesses if new parking restrictions go ahead. Picture: DGSResidents and businesspeople at the event in the Pentland Hotel. Many let their feelings be known over the controversial parking changes. Picture: DGS
“We run LRM Trading on Brabster Street and it’s very hard to get parked as it is but if these parking proposals come in, that’s going to shoot the whole business down,” said Mr Manson after the meeting concluded.
“Like I said at the meeting, I might as well send my keys to the council’s Inverness headquarters because the business is not going to work as we’ll not have the parking available for customers. People are not going to want to park at the Co-op and hump 25 kilos of roosters [potatoes] back to the car.”
He says that there are no restrictions on Brabster Street at present but if Highland Council’s proposed changes to parking enforcement come to fruition it will affect deliveries to the business and customers trying to park up as a ‘no waiting’ policy will be enforced.
The Pentland Hotel in Thurso where the event took place on Tuesday evening. The hotel’s owner says that the current restrictions are harming his business. Picture: DGS
“Customers coming to try and buy their bags of neeps, carrots, tatties and eggs won’t be able to collect them as there’s nowhere to park. With deliveries, it takes 10-15 minutes to unload so we won’t be able to take them in. We could deliver but that’ll put the costs up tremendously.
“It’s totally shambolic and will kill our business.”
Mr Manson thinks that the proposed parking enforcement rules have the potential to “kill many businesses” and also focused on the issues that hotels and B&Bs would face. “Are they going to charge extra for their residents getting a permit or what?”
Andrew Mackay, owner of the Pentland Hotel where the meeting was held, talked about the issues his business faces with the current restrictions. Picture: DGS
Andrew Mackay, owner of the Pentland Hotel where the meeting took place, echoed similar sentiments but added that the current restrictions outside the Princes Street premises are “not good for customers”.
“It’s very damaging. The restrictions outside the hotel are for just one-hour parking but you can’t even have a leisurely coffee in an hour,” said Mr Mackay.
“If the area was congested and there were issues I could understand but there are no issues. If anyone parks there for an hour then they can’t return for two hours. If a resident arrives at the hotel, they have to go and hunt for a place in a neighbouring road.”
The Pentland Hotel in Thurso where the event was held. Currently, there is a one-hour restriction on parking there which has been detrimental to the business. Picture: DGSThurso and Northwest Caithness councillor Ron Gunn speaks at the event. He said he was impressed by the huge turnout which ‘clearly showed the strength of feeling against the proposals’. Picture: DGS
Mr Mackay says that a potential customer may avoid coming to his hotel due to the parking issue. “They’ll say, do I want the hassle of that or shall I go somewhere that has a big car park?
“This forces them into the arms of the Premier Inn, which has a car park and no restrictions, and all the money goes out of the county.”
He says it is the same for small businesses and retailers in the centre of Thurso where many potential customers may prefer to use stores like Lidl or Tesco which have restriction-free car parks. “As these places are on the outskirts of the town, the vibrancy of the town centre is gone. Then it’s seen as not a good place to live and do business.”
All those attending were offered Highland Council maps showing proposed alterations to parking restrictions in Thurso. Picture: DGSDisability campaigner Louise Smith talked her personal issues with access on Thurso’s streets. Picture: DGS
During the meeting there were references to similar proposals mooted by Highland Council for Wick which community councillor Alastair Ferrier said were vigorously opposed at various public meetings in the town.
He pointed out how the council’s projections for monies raised from these proposals were highly exaggerated and that the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council’s revelations of ‘Common Good’ land in the town affected the outcome.
Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor and town provost Struan Mackie told the audience that he “had no idea of what the council would do” if the Caithness area committee rejected the proposals.
Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor and town provost Struan Mackie talked about the likelihood of the proposals being implemented. Picture: DGS
He added: “Will it go back into the ether at Inverness and come back in a different guise? This is something the council do if they don’t get their way. We should not be in a position where there’s a committee decision in Inverness that supersedes anything in Caithness.”
Speaking after the event, Cllr Mackie said: “The strength of feeling today could almost be touched, it’s that strong. Kyle Manson made comments that are very reflective of how many businesspeople feel in the town. The current parking restrictions are putting businesses into a really difficult position and that’s the type of story that needs to be heard.
The Pentland Hotel event had around 250 people attend and many had to stand on the sidelines. Picture: DGSGeorge Carson runs a backpacking hostel on Princes Street and outlined his gripes with Highland Council over parking outside his business. ‘This meeting shows I’m not alone in my feelings about the matter,’ he said. Picture: DGSA member of Thurso West Church, at left, said the restrictions would be problematic for worshippers and those attending funerals at the town centre premises. Picture: DGS
“Ultimately, we should never be in a position where a local authority does something that harms a business or harms the ability for someone to make money and put food on the table.”
The ballroom area of the Pentland Hotel was “filled to the rafters” as had been expected, with more than 200 residents and people from the business community attending. Many were invited to share their views and the strength of feeling against the proposals, as well as the current restrictions, was strong.
Thurso and Northwest Caithness councillor Matthew Reiss noted the “substantial public dissatisfaction” at the meeting. “The message is that Highland Council is not listening to them or to the elected members,” he told the Groat.
A show of hands from the audience was a firm declaration from residents and those running businesses that they were united against the council’s proposals. Picture: DGS
“Some of this could be resolved quite easily. We had asked twice to have parking restrictions lifted on Princes Street in the lead-up to Christmas but we did not even receive an acknowledgement. That is simply unprofessional.
“If they could make a gesture and lift some restrictions that would be good. The town centre is fighting for its survival.”