Fear businesses ‘will suffer massively’ under cobbles crackdown
Businesses fear they will “suffer massively” if they are forced to strip the streets outside their shops of displays and signage.
Hampshire County Council told traders in Lymington’s cobbled Quay Street they must remove items placed outside their premises by Friday, or contractors could remove them instead.
The move follows three anonymous complaints, all made on July 15, relating to items outside Quayside Fish Hut, Out of the Blue and Lymington Mobiles.
But Liberal Democrat county councillor Jack Davies has launched a petition urging the authority to rethink the decision.
This has attracted more than 1,000 signatures in less than 24 hours.
Mel Cullis, manager of Quayside Fish Hut, said the decision could hit independent traders hard and damage the character of the historic shopping street.
She said: “The shop has been here for several decades. The new rule is ridiculous.
“It is unfair that the aesthetic of the cobbles is going to be taken away. We do not want the street to be completely ruined.
“I have worked here for four years, and I have lived in Lymington all my life, and this street has always been the same. There have always been items outside the shops.
“It is eye-catching. It is the way the town is and is such a nice thing to have.”
Ms Cullis said outside displays are vital for bringing people through the door, particularly for businesses that rely on passing trade.
She added: “We need to have our stock outside to draw customers in.
“It will be horrendous if that is taken away from us, and the businesses will suffer massively if they can’t put their stock outside.”
Cllr Davies accused the county council of overreacting to a small number of complaints.
He said: “The small independent businesses on the cobbles are what makes this part of Lymington so special.
“Instead of targeting our small independent shops, the council should be supporting them.”
The councillor said the rapid support for his petition showed the strength of local feeling.
Cllr Davies said: “I’m so grateful that more than 1,000 people have signed the petition in less than 24 hours.
“Hampshire County Council must listen.”
A council spokesperson said the authority is responsible for keeping pavements and verges “safe and accessible for everyone”.
They said items such as advertising boards can narrow footways, block access and create hazards, particularly for wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, and blind or partially sighted people.
The spokesperson added: “In this case, we received an enquiry about display stands that had been placed in the area.
“When officers attended, they noted similar boards nearby and took a consistent approach in addressing them.”
The petition can be found on the New Forest Liberal Democrats website.