Lack of parking signs hit trade

12:34pm Friday 16th May 2008

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TRADE at a Kidderminster jewellery shop has slumped due to a lack of parking spaces after the removal of parking restriction signs by Severn Trent Water workers, it has been claimed.

Since the water company's engineers removed the signs from Comberton Hill, there have been no parking spaces for customers visiting Harvey's Jewellers, owner, Annabella Harvey-Lawrence, told the Shuttle/Times & News.

The 40-year-old explained that the workers failed to replace the signs after completing the work, around three weeks ago.

She added that without the signs, people were parking outside her shop all day, leaving no space for her customers.

"There's normally two signs saying you have got one hour's parking," said Mrs Harvey-Lawrence. "They Severn Trent Water removed them and now we are losing most of our customers.

"People are now parking outside my shop all day long and it's leaving no space for our customers to park.

"My customers can't call into the shop because of the lack of parking spaces and I'm losing business. It's hard enough these days in this business."

Mrs Harvey-Lawrence explained she had noticed a drop in sales since the signs had been removed.

She added: "We're out on a limb here and we do rely on there being parking spaces for our customers so they can nip into our shop.

"If people are taking advantage of there being no signs up, it means there are no parking spaces for my customers. All we want is for the signs to be put back up, then there wouldn't be a problem."

Sophie Jordan, spokeswoman for Severn Trent Water, explained that the water company aimed to reinstate all road signs following the completion of works.

She added: "We understand that, on this occasion, this hasn't happened and we are currently investigating the reasons for this.

"We would like to apologise to all those customers who are being disrupted by the lack of signs regarding parking restrictions and ensure them that we are doing all we can to rectify this situation."