The parking charges implemented in the New Forest since April this year have left some local business owners frustrated.
Staff at various shops across Burley Village have strong views on the new parking charges introduced by Forestry England which is responsible for managing and caring for public forest estates in England.
Katrina Beaumont, owner of independent gift shop Cobwebs and Crystals, said: “Since the parking charges came in April, we’ve all noticed a significant difference in the footfall around Burley at crucial times like school and summer holidays, which is obviously really bad for business.”
She said it was not only holidaymakers that were complaining to her but also the locals who simply wished to walk their dog or have a picnic in the forest.
Forestry England has provided no comment on the enforced parking charges as well as the enforced annual membership costing £96 per year, or £8 per month, to cover parking for one registered vehicle in any car parks managed by the organisation.
For the council-managed car parks that are separate from Forestry England, the New Forest District Council provides parking clocks for locals with annual long-stay clocks costing up to £240.
Worker at Pelly and Purdy pet shop, Susan Theobald, highlighted the lack of concession for people who worked in the shops and how more of their wages were being spent on parking.
She said: “It’s just not fair. The parking charges make people think twice about coming in.”
When asked whether it had affected the business, she said: “It has hit us quite badly. There’s a huge difference from this year compared to last year. I would say it’s half down on profits.”
She also worried about how much the business would suffer next summer when holidaymakers hesitated to visit the village and the National Park as a whole.
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