I work long hours in a high-stress job and look forward to my weekends.

Every Saturday morning I wander to my local shopping parade in Hangleton and enjoy a chat with the shopkeepers and other customers.

Imagine my chagrin on a recent Saturday when I saw a parking attendant looking in my car and taking down the registration number.

When challenged, he pointed to the parking sign which informed me parking is restricted to one hour only (and no return within an hour). I, with my meanderings, chatting and yoo-hooing at neighbours was six minutes over time.

This, sadly, leaves me with a dilemma. Should I abandon the joys of local shopping after all these years and drive to an out-of-town supermarket to shop in splendid isolation, never seeing a familiar face?

Perhaps rush my beloved Saturday experience, whizzing from shop to shop calling, “sorry, can’t stop” over my shoulder to friends and acquaintances? Or should I continue to shop as I now do, just take it on the chin and pay an extra £25 a week?

All this because a nameless, faceless autocrat has decided I should only take an hour to do my shopping.

I can’t help but wonder if Brighton and Hove City Council has thought this through.

We are advised, nay encouraged, to shop locally. Support local business they tell us, then make it fraught to do so.

I would be interested to know if the council, once administration costs, attendants’ wages, revenue to bai-liffs for non payment of fines and lost rents from businesses going bust, manages to break even on the parking charges front.

Gill Carpenter
Harmsworth Crescent, Hove