Parking charges force insurance firm to move from Hove (From The Argus)
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Parking charges force insurance firm to move from Hove
3:10pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in News
The Argus Park the Charges campaign
An independent insurance firm which has been based in central Brighton and Hove for 60 years has been forced to relocate because of the city’s soaring parking charges.
The owners of Scullard & Prosser in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, said they had “no choice” given customers’ complaints about the price of parking.
Owner Rob Lynn, who was also spending thousands of pounds a year on his own tickets, has warned the council that other businesses would follow suit if they didn’t rethink their policy.
The insurance broker was established in the city in 1939 before its founder was called up to fight for his country.
After the war, he returned to Brighton to set up shop at the top of North Street.
Following a brief stint in Ship Street, he moved the company to its premises in Old Shoreham Road, where it will remain until tomorrow.
Mr Lynn said: “We’re a small firm so we don’t have a big call centre or anything like that.
“We like to deal with our customers face to face, but they’re fed up of having to pay extortionate parking rates to pop in and see us.
“We’re paying at least £40 a week on our own parking tickets and we just can’t go on like this.”
'End of an era'
The 61-year-old is now in the process of packing the final boxes ahead of a move to new premises in Abinger Road, Portslade.
He said: “When we lock that door for the last time on Friday there will definitely be a tear. It’s the end of an era.
“We got to the stage where we had egg-timers on our desks to let us know when we had to put more money in the meter.
“I’d be on the phone to a client and the timer would start ringing. It was just getting ridiculous.”
A council spokesman played down the significance of parking charges on the businesses, pointing out the growth in the local economy in the last decade.
He said: “We sympathise but parking is not the only factor dictating business success in the city.
“There have been 1,000 business start-ups in the city in the last six months – a rate of increase far higher than the UK average.”
We launched our Park The Charges campaign following the council’s price hike earlier this year.
Since then we have had hundreds of responses from residents and businesses calling on the local authority to rethink the parking rates.
Has your business been affected? Let us know by emailing: news@theargus.co.uk.
Comments(19)
saraman
says...
3:43pm Thu 11 Oct 12
rolivan
says...
3:50pm Thu 11 Oct 12
jagiwatch
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4:03pm Thu 11 Oct 12
andydownsouth
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4:05pm Thu 11 Oct 12
As if the motorist doesnt have enough costs already without parking charges and the rip off that are residents permits!!
Good luck Scullard and Prosser at your new home(at least until the council pushes the pay areas even further out!!!)
s&k
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4:56pm Thu 11 Oct 12
BiggerH
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5:16pm Thu 11 Oct 12
I can understand you need premises to work from, but a high street presence?
NickBtn
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5:29pm Thu 11 Oct 12
s&k wrote:If the idea of increasing parking prices was to raise more revenue then it has failed. As the Argus reported last week, on-street parking revenues have FALLEN - if the price is too high people will find alternatives such as parking where its free and taxi/cycle/bus the last part in.
Has anyone thought this might be a result of the public's insistance on zero or very low rises in council tax? Where do councils get their revenue for services if the government cuts or witholds funding and the public don't want to pay more council tax? And - let's face it - we have a culture in Britain of tax evasion in general (especially by the rich). No one want's to pay for anything but we expect the council to deliver for us with essential services.
So higher charges do not equal higher revenue. Will the council change and reduce prices? Will they listen to comments, help preserve local jobs and encourage tourist money in.... I hope so, but I'm not holding my breath!
StyleCop
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6:19pm Thu 11 Oct 12
NickBtn wrote:S&L has a point regarding the lack of motivation for citizens generally to pay tax.
s&k wrote: Has anyone thought this might be a result of the public's insistance on zero or very low rises in council tax? Where do councils get their revenue for services if the government cuts or witholds funding and the public don't want to pay more council tax? And - let's face it - we have a culture in Britain of tax evasion in general (especially by the rich). No one want's to pay for anything but we expect the council to deliver for us with essential services.If the idea of increasing parking prices was to raise more revenue then it has failed. As the Argus reported last week, on-street parking revenues have FALLEN - if the price is too high people will find alternatives such as parking where its free and taxi/cycle/bus the last part in. So higher charges do not equal higher revenue. Will the council change and reduce prices? Will they listen to comments, help preserve local jobs and encourage tourist money in.... I hope so, but I'm not holding my breath!
We want it all but aren't inclined to pay for it through a fair and visible taxation system.
Personally I'd be happy to pay more tax if it guaranteed better, efficient public services. Isn't this what it's like in the scandinavian countries - high taxes but really good public services?
I suppose we get what we pay for?
It can't be easy for a local authority faced with cuts from central government to allocate resources with a dwindling income and to top it off the majority of the populace unwilling to contribute more to help.
It's all the wrong way around. The default stance for UK citizens is to cry 'NO' to raising taxes - whilst the government try to raise funds from other means.
Regarding the Parking Fees, they are frustratingly expensive but, I have to add, that as long as it's helping somewhere along the line to help bolster our poor performance economically speaking, then surely thats a good thing for everyone, and not just individuals.
vogon1
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8:17pm Thu 11 Oct 12
I guess if my name was John Ovenden or Lesley Kite, my pointless drivel would be allowed...
Maxwell's Ghost
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8:17pm Thu 11 Oct 12
However, I am not happy to give it to the present council who spends money on vanity projects such as cycle lanes and disused electric car chargers for the rich when people are struggling to pay their heating bills.
It's like being in some comic dictatorship.
Unlike the Greens who seem completely unashamed of frittering money away on their dreams while the city's ordinary poeple struggle to cope, I have started a number of direct debits to charities which focus on the elderly and youth to the value of a five per cent increase in my council tax.
It's a good way of making a difference and having control over where your money goes instead of some crazy crackpot councillor frittering it away on their own personal schemes.
Fight_Back
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8:43pm Thu 11 Oct 12
s&k wrote:Your post shows a complete lack of understanding of how the local funding works. Money from parking can't be used to fund standard council services.
Has anyone thought this might be a result of the public's insistance on zero or very low rises in council tax? Where do councils get their revenue for services if the government cuts or witholds funding and the public don't want to pay more council tax? And - let's face it - we have a culture in Britain of tax evasion in general (especially by the rich). No one want's to pay for anything but we expect the council to deliver for us with essential services.
In this case it clearly shows how stupid Kitcat and his cronies really are. Hopefully more businesses will make their feelings known.
puddings3112
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12:31am Fri 12 Oct 12
However, the short term on-street charges for passing custom are too high - I used to stop on Portland road on my way home to use some of the independents - however the high parking charge that runs late into the evening means I now either use the out of town superstores or just nip to the local tesco express. Green party - friend of Tescos and the other multiples
allykatz
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6:36am Fri 12 Oct 12
puddings3112 wrote:Its people like you that turn Brighton and Hove into a.n other high street with your views on parking. A competent business owner could well live in one of the out lying villages or further out in a family home. Well away from the bus routes.
I have no sympathy for the business owner having to pay to park his own car beside his office - there is a perfectly reasonable public transport system that he could make use of if he wishes to cut costs because he doesn't need his vehicle for business purposes (the article states he keeps leaving his desk to go and feed the meter suggesting he is office based).
However, the short term on-street charges for passing custom are too high - I used to stop on Portland road on my way home to use some of the independents - however the high parking charge that runs late into the evening means I now either use the out of town superstores or just nip to the local tesco express. Green party - friend of Tescos and the other multiples
This guy has been there 60 years paid rates and charges for all that time. I also pay rates which believe me are far more than your piddly council tax.
Employers and rates payers should et free city centre parking or we will see a decline in employment in Brighton and Hove it is that simple. Unless of course you think a city of barstaff and waiters is a great thing.
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
6:49am Fri 12 Oct 12
You can now buy everything you need in the various retail parks ie hollingbury, goldstone, Holmbush etc
You can pick up stamps, gifts, wrapping paper at garden centres. I have female friends who have started Christmas shopping and are doing it all on line now because its too expensive to park and they live up on the estates and the buses are irregular and only accept limited push chairs on apparently.
It's going to be a tough trading year for this city which is a desperate shame as its so unnecessary.
The parking charges need an urgent review before more people lose their jobs. It's not rocket science.
Hove Actually
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9:45am Fri 12 Oct 12
And prey tell how many have failed or are you so cynical you are including Charity Shops, Firework Shops and Christmas Shops etc in your wonderful list...pathetic attempt to ignore a growing problem.
A city needs stable, profitable small businesses to be the lifeblood of the community and not Global brands that suck the profits out to shareholders living in other areas
Dave At Home
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10:26am Fri 12 Oct 12
puddings3112 wrote:How two faced are you then? first of all you moan that Lynn should use public transport to get to and from work but did it ever occur to you that he might live out of town or somewhere inaccessible for public transport or just the fact public transport is not fast enough for him? Sitting on a bus or two for longer than it takes you in your own car defeats the purpose.
I have no sympathy for the business owner having to pay to park his own car beside his office - there is a perfectly reasonable public transport system that he could make use of if he wishes to cut costs because he doesn't need his vehicle for business purposes (the article states he keeps leaving his desk to go and feed the meter suggesting he is office based).
However, the short term on-street charges for passing custom are too high - I used to stop on Portland road on my way home to use some of the independents - however the high parking charge that runs late into the evening means I now either use the out of town superstores or just nip to the local tesco express. Green party - friend of Tescos and the other multiples
And then you go on to say when you drive your car, you don't stop on Portland Road anymore!! due to the high charges of parking, either you do or you don't support public, don't sit on the fence and judge others as you do exactly what they do, please.
And finally why can't the 'Council Spokesman' be named? Seems like another person who is scamming a job in the Council, I am sure two thirds of the staff could be let go without any impact on Council services.... Let's have some proper dialogue on the problems with this City and let's sort it out for everyones' sake.
Fairfax Sakes
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11:55am Fri 12 Oct 12
toldsloth
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12:52pm Fri 12 Oct 12
spa301 says...
3:32pm Thu 11 Oct 12
Can't be too long before the parking permit zones creep into Portslade though surely?