Chamber oppose pay-to-park

But chamber president Ainsley Gill this week admitted, despite business opposition, he can see the day when a pay to park proposal is tabled.

He said such a plan would be, 'a huge blow for prosperity.'

Mr Gill pledged to fight any scheme and implored Rother District Council to join the chamber in looking for alternatives, despite recognising the pressure which may be exerted on the authority at county level.

He said: "At the moment we promote the town on the basis 'Bexhill on Sea - where you can park for free'. We make much of the fact that we are one of the last towns in East Sussex where you can park in our town centre streets and promenade without paying.

"We stress in the Bexhill Town Guide that our town is the birthplace of British Motor Racing and we still welcome the motor car. The free parking we currently enjoy certainly does encourage day visitors, and they do shop here and use our cafes and restaurants. It is part of what differentiates Bexhill from many other local towns '“ we should cherish this and not throw it away.

"People that visit the town, knowing they can park for a short while to shop, knowing they can usually find somewhere to park for free, will think twice if they have to factor in the price of parking.

"The real danger is that the town centre will lose more trade to shopping centres like Ravenside if parking charges are introduced The chamber cannot see how this will help to regenerate the town. It will be a sad day for Bexhill if this happens. I say if and not when, but the chamber can see a battle ahead and we will fight against the imposition of parking charges. The chamber understands that pressure may be being exerted on Rother but would implore it to listen to the business community and the residents of the town.

"If parking meters come to Bexhill it will be a huge blow for the prosperity of our town centre."

Mr Gill's comments follow a statement made to the Observer by Rother leader Cllr Carl Maynard last week, that he knew of no county plans to decriminalise parking in the town but couldn't rule out the possibility in the future.

Cllr Maynard said such a move may be warranted in a regenerated town centre, but Rother would want residents to be fully consulted.

Rother will be holding a review on parking charges later in the year.