Let's have lots more parking on our streets
HUMAN nature being what it is shoppers seem, basically, to want to walk as short a distance as possible to make their purchases.
Out-of-town supermarkets and superstores appear to thrive because their car driver customers can pull up for free virtually outside without any hassle.
Whereas, to reach Stroud High Street, which already has its uphill gradient against it, motorists have to pay to park some distance away and spend precious time walking to and from the shops of their desire.
You could, of course, argue, quite rightly in these times of the obesity epidemic, that the exercise in Stroud is a healthy thing.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
But it did seem ironic that this week, on one hand, councils were promoting pedestrianisation by basically banning vehicles from Stroud town centre in the daytime.
While on the other they were considering retail guru Mary Portas' review recommendations at the new Town Team Partners meeting.
Because, among government, Ms Portas' ideas is one allowing more parking spaces in town centres so they can compete with those out-of-town shopping Meccas.
Dursley, Wotton and Painswick are smaller than Stroud and, in truth, you're far more likely, any way, to be able to find a handy space for your car and nip in and out of a shop in double quick time.
But to encourage trade in Stroud itself, I'm all for bringing back parking on the streets. Lots of it. Everywhere.
2 Comments
by geraint2010
Wednesday, February 20 2013, 11:21AM
“Absolutely! Lots of convenient parking spaces and FREE. Lots of contented shoppers = happy successful traders = less empty retail units = more dosh in the council's coffers. It's hardly rocket science is it?”
by Douglasknows
Wednesday, February 20 2013, 10:39AM
“Nothing to do with the cost of parking then?, or the problem of not paying as you leave the car park instead of having to rush back if you paid for a certain amount of time but wished to stay longer.”