Owner of St Edmunds Butchers in Brentgovel Street, Bury St Edmunds, slams West Suffolk Council’s loading bay policy

A Bury St Edmunds business owner has hit out at a council’s policy over the use of loading bays outside his store.

Neil Price, who runs St Edmunds Butchers in Brentgovel Street, said West Suffolk Council was ‘ridiculous’ for not letting a tradesman park outside to repair a broken fridge today.

The team had to cram products into the shop’s remaining fridge, which left it ‘packed’ and meant they could not fulfil Christmas orders until the other was repaired.

He said staff will have to work overtime to ensure customers can tuck into their turkey meals and the council was unwilling to help out during the year’s busiest period for trade.

But he also has a gripe with traffic wardens because customers are unable to use the loading bay to quickly pick up their orders.

However, Cllr Dave Taylor, cabinet member for operations at West Suffolk Council said while he sympathised with Mr Price, loading bays were reserved for all businesses, many of whom would be equally busy at this time of year.

He said: “If we started bending rules for any other businesses, the butchers might feel unfairly treated.”

Mr Price, who has run the shop for 10 years, said: “It’s ridiculous. The town centre is dying on its feet. I’m in need of a tradesman to fix a vital part of my business. Things like this only impede other shops.

“Meanwhile, people’s Christmas dinners are getting warm, while engineers look for somewhere else to park, which can be difficult at this time of year.

“Before Monday, we have 500 orders to fulfil and now my team are going to have to work hours of overtime to catch up.

“I understand rules are rules, but could we not have some flexibility? Why is there a need to take each rule to the letter while the bays outside are empty?

“I think it’s outrageous that the council is not willing to help businesses out during the busiest week of the year.”

Customers are also unable to stop outside briefly to pick up their orders, Mr Price said.

He said: “We’ve been told that ‘loading only’ means something you cannot carry, so customers cannot park outside to pick up orders, although it does not say this on the board.

“To me, someone coming in to pick up an order counts as loading and the lack of flexibility in this matter is outrageous.

“This has gone on long enough and the council hav shown they do not want to help.”

However, Cllr Taylor stood by wardens’ decisions.

He said: “For our enforcement team to bend the rules, allowing the loading bay to be used as a parking bay will undoubtedly create supply issues for our other retailers and businesses in the area and while this has caused some inconvenience and frustration for the butchers, I fully endorse the action taken by the enforcement team on this occasion."

"Suffolk County Council has the restrictions in place to try to ensure all businesses have use of the loading bay and our role is to enforce those restrictions in order to be fair to the neighbouring businesses.”

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