HIGH parking charges are being blamed for the woes facing town centre shops in Bournemouth.

Following last week’s announcement of plans to close the House of Fraser store, shoppers have hit-out at the cost of parking in the town.

Former Bournemouth council leader, Douglas Eyre, said that parking fees had had a “negative effect” on business and called for “a root and branch review” of transport to be carried out by the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Last week, House of Fraser became the latest big name high street shop to announce it would be leaving the town, following Marks and Spencer’s closure in April.

Mr Eyre, said: “Since the opening of Castlepoint, the pressure of beyond inflation parking charges has had a negative effect on all the town’s shopping centres.

“Of course, online shopping has had a major effect but the cost of parking hasn’t helped.

“For me, too, as someone who would like to see more use of our theatres, one of the things I find most painful is to stand by a parking machine in the Pavilion car parks as patrons arrive for a show and maybe something to eat.

“The sharp intake of breath and the ‘how much?’ as they organise a whip round to get the change together. Not the right welcome or encouragement to resident or visiting audiences.”

His comments follow those made by Bournemouth council business champion, and town centre business owner, Cllr Nigel Hedges who said that the charges were needed to cover the facilities’ maintenance costs.

The former Bournemouth Chamber of Trade president, said: “We continually compare South West towns with Bournemouth and our parking charges have always compared favourably.

“The cost to park at the Glen Fern multi-storey, which is right in the town centre, is very reasonable and is much less than it costs in places like Cambridge and Brighton

“However, despite Bournemouth also having the best selection of shops, people prefer to travel to large shopping malls in Hampshire and then complain when shops in the town centre close.”

Parking at the Glen Fern car park costs £6 for four hours, slightly less than town centre car parks in Brighton but more than is charged in Southampton.

However, parking at the Pavilion car parks for six hours costs £15.

Cllr Hedges added: “With the Pavilion car parks you have got a premium location and the prices reflect that.

“On top of being in an excellent spot right next to the beach and shops in Westover Road, the Pavilion needs massive maintenance and the charges help towards that.”

A spokesman for Bournemouth council said that parking in most facilities in Bournemouth for two hours costs £2.50 - the same as Weymouth and Southampton and less than Salisbury, Winchester, Portsmouth and Brighton.

Colin Beck, who lives in Verwood, said that the parking system in Bournemouth was less convenient than neighbouring towns and cities and were putting shoppers off.

“If you go to Southampton you will see a thriving town centre and I think that is down to a cheaper, and better parking system where you pay after parking.

“In Bournemouth, you have to guess how long you’ll be in the town for and then pay the much higher charges.

“Everyone I speak to is coming into Bournemouth less and less, especially with Castlepoint being free.”

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ANY cuts to Bournemouth’s town centre parking charges would jeopardise vital services, council leader John Beesley says.

Cllr Beesley said the £2.50 for two hours town centre charge was “competitive” with other authorities in the south, including Brighton, Southampton and Winchester, and that private car park charges were “nearly double the price”.

“We froze parking charges for a very long time and I think our record demonstrates we understand the impact on shoppers,” he said.

“Ultimately we have to maintain these car parks.”

Cllr Beesley said any shortfall in income, including that from car parks, would have a direct impact on the borough’s ability to provide vital services.

“If we withdraw any part of our income it has to come from somewhere else or we will have to have cuts in services,” he said.

“And 80 per cent of our expenditure is on adults’ and children’s services.

“We are already down to the bone at the moment, what do you want to cut?”

He said the borough had set different rates for the town centre, aimed at short-stay parking, and seafront car parks, with the latter geared more towards long-stay visitors.

“We are trying to find ways to make it easier for people to pay and so forth,” he said.