Seafront traders have lambasted Southend Council after being handed fines for parking outside their business, while facing lockdown hardship.
Business owners on Southend seafront say Southend Council should be supporting firms in the coronavirus outbreak rather then (sic) penalising them.
/facepalm
Paul Thompson, 46, owner of Pebbles One in Marine Parade, was fined last Sunday.
He said: “The car parks and loading bays are shut so the only place to park was right outside the door, which if common sense was used shouldn’t be an issue right now.
“The parking warden came and told me I couldn’t park there and I was going to be fined.
“I called the council’s director of public places and he agreed it should be cancelled.
“It has been stopped but it’s just ridiculous.”
Well, yes! So what has the council got to say?
A council spokesman said: “To discourage visitors our parking enforcement officers are supporting police and community safety colleagues to enforce restrictions.
“We have been clear this process is not to penalise traders in these difficult times.”
It appears you're employing people who have no common sense.
Wtaf! So traffic wardens are essential. Is it just me or does anybody else notice that every job that comes directly out of taxes is essential. Do you know any civil servants who are furloughed?
ReplyDelete'Employing people with no common sense'. Doesn't that sound like a great many other local council employees from councils up and down the land?
ReplyDeleteIf Southend council are employing the same type of people as parking wardens as my local council, the wardens also appear to have no knowledge of English. Perhaps they're using the Channel based Border Farce as recruiters?
ReplyDeletePenseivat
"...It appears you're employing people who have no common sense..."
ReplyDeletePar for the course: a total lack of common sense seems a prerequisite for Whitehall and municipal employees.
Parking wardens are obviously essential now that the roads are almost empty and even illegal parking inconveniences nobody. Why are the carparks and loading bays shut? Presumably giving the authority to make intelligent decisions about such matters to power drunk half wits was a bad idea. Who could have predicted that?
ReplyDeleteExactly why I don't go to the English seaside anymore. Rip off parking charges, ruthless enforcers, poor facilities and often crap weather. What a toxic bundle is that. I did consider buying a chalet not long ago but no way am I paying 90% council tax on a place I might use for 6 to 8 weeks a year. Roll on the day when I can get back to Spain, at least they don't fleece you rotten and you get 300 days sun a year. I wonder why the English seaside is in terminal decline?
ReplyDelete" Is it just me or does anybody else notice that every job that comes directly out of taxes is essential."
ReplyDeleteOh, it's not just you, definitely not!
"Perhaps they're using the Channel based Border Farce as recruiters?"
Straight off the boat, straight into a uniform?
"Exactly why I don't go to the English seaside anymore. Rip off parking charges, ruthless enforcers, poor facilities and often crap weather."
But enough about Southend..!