Parking scheme ‘would ruin pub’

A pub says proposals for a new residents’ parking zone would cause a “slow, painful death” for its business.

The Moorfields, on Third Avenue, Oldfield Park, opened under new ownership in 2020 after The Bath Pub Company extensively revamped it.

Now its management is claiming the proposals to make Oldfield Park subject to residents’ parking permits seven days a week would cripple its business.

They said: “If these customers can’t visit easily, they simply won’t come; and without this trade, the pub isn’t viable.”

Bath and North East Somerset Council is proposing that the residents’ parking zone will operate from 8am to 6pm for the Oldfield Park and Westmoreland area with yellow line parking restrictions and marked disabled bays operating at all times.

Businesses could apply for up to two permits and there would be a number of bays classed as “dual use” - available for unlimited parking by residents’ permit holders or up to two hours by non-permit holders.

In a statement on social media, The Moorfields said: “The current proposals for a residents’ parking zone for Oldfield Park would be catastrophic for our business. If implemented, they would result in a slow, painful death for the pub. Local customers, are and will always be our main priority at The Moorfields, but for the pub to survive, we also need to be able to attract customers from further afield.

“If these customers can’t visit easily, they simply won’t come; and without this trade, the pub isn’t viable.”

The statement goes on to say that the proposals would also inconvenience locals who have family and friends who want to visit, although locals will be able to get visitor parking permits.

The statement continues: “The current proposal to impose blanket permit holders only restrictions in force all day, every day would not only kill off our business but it would mean huge inconvenience for residents when friends or family come to visit, or if they need tradesmen to visit them.

“We accept that improvements are needed to the current arrangement, but to go from one extreme (no restrictions whatsoever) to another (seven days a week, permit holders only) feels like a poorly thought through, knee-jerk response. If the aim is to prevent people using Oldfield Park as an all-day car park, then viable alternatives exist that would achieve that aim, without harming local businesses and inconveniencing residents.”

The pub then goes on to suggest that four-hour dual bays could be an answer instead of two hours or pay parking for a limited time.

It adds: “Both of these would also be more convenient for residents, making it easier for them to receive visitors and help local businesses. We have spent a huge amount of money refurbishing the pub to create what we hope will be a valued community asset for years to come.

“If The Moorfields is to remain a pub that local customers can enjoy for the long term, then we implore the council to reconsider the current proposals.”

The council has said its idea to manage parking aligns closely with their “wider aims as a council to promote more active ways of travel, encourage take-up of lower emissions vehicles, and to rebalance our roads and neighbourhoods so that motor vehicles become less dominant”.

The consultation is ongoing until December 11 at: https:// beta.bathnes.gov.uk/oldfieldpark-and-westmoreland-residents-parking-zone-rpz/haveyour-say.

The council has been approached for comment.