Traffic restrictions are hurting retail

OH the arrogance of Newcastle City Council. They claim that their stupid traffic restrictions have not affected shoppers using Eldon Garden. Well let me tell them I know of two such shoppers to start with.

My wife is wheelchair-bound and Eldon Garden car park was ideal for suitable parking and access to Eldon Square.

The disabled toilet and the garden cafe were user-friendly and visits to Lakeland were frequent until they were forced to move.

Because of the natural slopes on the city centre, pushing a wheelchair around can be very tiring so for access to Northumberland Street at the lower end, Grey Street and the Theatre Royal we used the small car park or that part of Northumberland Street, both on the west side of John Dobson Street.

I am not stupid enough to fall for the money-grabbing scheme there now so the Theatre Royal no longer gets our regular custom.

The result is that our regular local visits now consist of The Sage Gateshead, Metro Arena Radio and Sunderland Empire. I am sorry, Newcastle shopkeepers.

Neither my wife and I are internet shopping addicts because we like to see what we are buying, but shopping in the city is now so arduous that you have lost our custom.

My neighbours have also told me similar tales of traffic woe so that they have indeed switched to internet shopping.

It seems that the council have got cause and effect the wrong way round. BRIAN TAYLOR,

North Shields