We're closing our Bristol butchers in Kingswood because council parking changes have created a ghost town
A butchers shop on the edge of Bristol says it has been forced to close following the council parking changes.
Mark's Mobile Butchers in Kingswood, which comes under South Gloucestershire Council, says the measures have cut its takings in half.
The changes, introduced May 19, mean people now need to pay to park in certain council car parks. South Gloucestershire Council says the they are necessary to fill a gap in its finances.
In a Facebook post announcing Saturday, August 2 as its last trading day, Mark’s Mobile Butchers wrote: “Since the council introduced parking charges, Kingswood has become like a ghost town.
“Unfortunately, this has had a serious impact on our business — our takings have been cut in half over the past few weeks, making it unsustainable to continue trading there.”
Despite closing its shop, the butchers can still be found at The Concorde Pub in Stockwood on Wednesdays and at Yate Shopping Centre on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council, said: "We are sorry to learn that one of the traders from the indoor market on Kingswood High Street has decided to leave and wish them well for the future.
"There has been significant investment and improvement work into the High Street and Kings Chase over the past months, with more to come in the near future, and occupancy levels for the retail units remains high with the centre currently fully let.
"The impact of the new parking scheme will take some time to assess, and we will be monitoring it over the coming months and comparing it against the baseline that we have already taken.
"We have had to take this step to help us meet the budgetary challenges we are faced with to support all of our local communities, including through regeneration work, but also supporting those in the community who need us the most."