Oban businesses blast ‘diabolical’ parking fees

Oban’s ‘diabolical’ and ‘impossible’ new parking charges are ‘punishing’ businesses, and even forcing some to contemplate moving away from the town.

Lilian Hutchison, owner of Oban Fish and Chip Shop on George Street, told The Oban Times this week, ‘it is just impossible’ to leave her busy business every two hours to move her car and pay the onstreet parking meter.

‘You have to punch in your registration,’ she explained. ‘You get a ticket that allows you 30 minutes free. You get two hours after that. Then you have to move your car to another space. You have to move around like a chessboard.

‘I cannot get out. It is impossible. It is not workable. You can imagine the number of parking tickets: £1,000 in parking fines for the year.

‘I am employing 15 people. Employees are aggrieved as well. There are lots of people who are angry. They should not be punishing business people. They should be trying to help us.

‘If you live in the town, you get a permit. You are screwed if you do not live in the town. If they only issued me a permit, I would be happy to pay it. That is all I am asking.

‘They say there would be no spaces for tourists. That is not my problem. They should provide more spaces. They should be building a multi-storey car park. How is it working for tourists on day trips? It is a complicated system for them to navigate. They are going to get parking tickets.’

Tourism businesses are also struggling. Paul Wooddisse has been running a skippered yacht charter business from Oban Marina on the Isle of Kerrera for 17 years, travelling from his home in the Midlands for nine weeks a year, bringing dozens of customers each summer to the Oban area.

Previously, he and his guests parked for free at Atlantis Leisure Centre and on the Esplanade north of the cathedral, but now Argyll and Bute Council has introduced new parking charges there.

‘It is diabolical,’ Mr Wooddisse said. ‘A week’s on-street parking will significantly increase our costs with these charges and my customers will be affected too. I will seriously have to consider taking my business to Dunstaffnage or even further afield, rather than Kerrera.

‘I am putting money into the local economy and the marina. That will be lost to the local economy. It is going to be a problem and it could drive me away. And I am not alone. Businesses are struggling.’

An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said: ‘The twohour parking limit for Oban’s on-street parking bays was introduced to improve access to services and shops for as many motorists as possible. Off-street car parks can be used for longer periods of parking and permits can be purchased for these car parks by everyone, whether they are residents or not.’