Shaftesbury’s proposed new parking charges will be ‘harmful and divisive’ the town’s chamber of commerce says.

Far from hiking charges in 2022, it believes Dorset Council should allow more free parking to encourage visitors to stay longer. Chamber chairman Virginia Edwyn-Jones said her organisation wanted to see Shaftesbury placed under the same charging regime as Gillingham and Sturminster Newton.

“We cannot understand why Gillingham, with an estimated population of 11,490 in 2019 – 2,500 more residents than Shaftesbury – is considered a smaller, more rural location,” she said.

“Gillingham is the economic and administrative centre for this part of North Dorset and has many more national and multiple retailers. These businesses can better shoulder the burden of increased fees because they enjoy the economy of scale in their operations but in fact, won’t need to shoulder a further burden at all because they all have their own car parks.”

The chamber has pointed out that far from being similar to neighbouring communities, Shaftesbury’s needs are ‘unique’ and ‘unlike any other North Dorset town’.

“Our situation on top of the promontory means there’s no potential to expand car parking opportunities,” it said.

“We need special consideration, but in fact, all we’re asking for is parity with our close neighbours.”

Ms Edwyn-Jones said that as a chamber and community people had ‘worked hard to improve our tourism offer and visitor experience,’ and they were disappointed by the recent introduction of Sunday fees.

“We’d like Dorset Council to consider giving something back to our town,” she
said.

“To support our small independents, the lifeblood of our High Street, and to encourage passing visitors to stop and sample our town centre and potentially stay longer, the Chamber is requesting free parking for the first 30 minutes at Angel Lane and Bell Street car parks.

“We believe this arrangement would also encourage locals to ‘pop’ into town on short shopping trips to pick up what they need and leave quickly, thereby creating the car park turnover we desperately need, considering our restricted parking options.”

The chamber said it welcomed the extension of the duration of long-stay parking from a four-hour maximum stay.
A spokesman for Dorset Council said a letter of response to the comments would be sent directly to Shaftesbury Town Council.

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