Traders have lost business after a street closed to traffic and they were told not to place tables and chairs on the road.
Thirty-two businesses in Gardner Street, Brighton, signed a petition asking the council to look again at the road closure which bans traffic from the North Laine street from 11am to 5pm seven days a week.
Brighton Business Improvement District chief Gavin Stewart told Brighton and Hove City Council’s Transport and Sustainability Committee that the traffic order permitted businesses to put tables and chairs on the pavement.
But previously cafés used to place tables and chairs in the road when the street was closed at weekends only.
At the Hove Town Hall meeting yesterday (Thursday 7 July), the Brilliant Brighton boss said that the policy supported some but not all businesses along Gardner Street.
Mr Stewart said: “Over the weekends, the loss of trade is having an existential threat on several of the businesses in the area. These are small businesses, not mega-rich multinationals. Their profit margins are small.
“And with high inflation, coupled with increased energy bills and stock costs, it means our unique independent retail and hospitality sector needs more support than ever.”
Mr Stewart said that Marrakesh House was one of the businesses affected, losing up to 40 per cent of its sales.
The Cornish pasty shop used to have 21 seats outside the shops at weekends but was now reduced to four, denting trade by 40 per cent.
Beachfront Leisure and the Dorset Bar used to use the road at weekends – and did so for more than 20 years – and losing that space had had a “devastating effect”, Mr Stewart said, adding: “The businesses at the heart of this community need saving now before the summer hits.”
He said that traders wanted a meeting with the council to ask policy-makers to take another look at the rules around tables and chairs to allow more seating on the road at weekends and bank holidays.
The road closure has proved controversial, with Brighton Access for Disabled Groups Everywhere (BADGE) saying that extended pavement licensing had created “no-go” areas for people with wheelchairs, mobility aids and those with impaired sight.
Possability People chief officer Geraldine Des Moulins warned last November that the closure would impose a curfew on disabled people living in Gardner Street, “imprisoning them in their own homes” for six hours daily.
Labour councillor Trevor Muten, who chairs the Transport and Sustainability Committee, said that the street had closed daily from 11am to 5pm since January after a full consultation and formal decision.
Councillor Muten said: “Businesses are allowed to use the full width of the footways outside their premises between 11am and 5pm each day.
“This creates a welcoming 3m to 4m-wide thoroughfare along the road for pedestrians. Officers have received several comments that this space is now more attractive to use.”
He said that when the carriageway was used fully in the past, only at weekends, the narrow pavements often became difficult to navigate for people with disabilities.
The council’s executive director for the economy, environment and culture Donna Chisholm said that she would arrange for officers to visit Gardner Street to review the situation before the end of July.
A combination of Green mismanagement and council officers who have always lived in their ivory towers and never run a business.
What about Pelham at Brighton this rd has been closed so no through trade going or coming back this is so unfair due to student accomodation no help for trader losing money this is so unfair and should be compensated
Another ex- Green accomplishment!
Can’t think why Brighton & Hove’s residents kicked them out?
TRO Signed off by Green leader, cllr Davis.
Another Green Win!
It was definitely a problem before as you could barely walk from one end to the other. There are still traders who do use the road so places like Lavash who almost block off the pavement entirely mean that there are still problems, some caused by the traders. Deliveries are now more difficult to and now overload neighbouring streets with vehicles instead. It is always going to be a problem road with winners and losers either way, but I preferred it before.
I think that is a very reasonable standpoint. I feel it is a situation where you are never going to please everyone.
Interesting to note that the Real Junk Food Project which was one of the loudest voices for the closure has closed. Time to revert back to the weekend closure and put the Blue Badge bays back. Another total mess created by the Brighton Transport Team.
Is it not possible the cost of living crisis is more to blame than a change in street access. I used to often eat out and buy bits from shops, not anymore and I’m lucky enough to have an average salary.
Possibly but you don’t hear Kennsington Gardens or Sydnet Street moaning. As the article stated the closure has reduced outside usage at the weekend – hence the issues.
Absolutely correct
Yes, the Gardner is closing – they could not strike a deal with the landlord – Infinity Foods.
Never trust a hippy
A lot of community-based food outreaches are really struggling at the moment to make ends meet. We’ve also had several Community Centres/assets close down recently too.
Have lived in Brighton for over 40 years and used to visit this street every week and never seen anyone struggling to get along it
Should go back to weekend only closure and bring back the disabled parking bays, removal of which has imprisoned a vulnerable disabled resident. Another Green failure legacy.
Load of rubbish reporting, you’ve never been allowed to park along there, anyways
Let’s get some sense back, since it started in Jan most weekdays have few people eating outside, and the tables and chairs often outnumber people! When it’s a bit damp there is hardly anyone there. It’s made it worse for disabled people – either stuck in their homes, blue badge spaces taken away or can’t shop as the tables block the pathways. As the businesses say the plan didn’t work, what they need is road space for weekends, not in the week when no one’s around much. And then the weekdays is when blue badge people could get along here too, much more balanced and community minded
Unfortunately this is all designed to destroy small independent buisnessess. The implementation of the green agenda in full swing in Brighton good luck with that agenda, people have sleep walked into a nightmare go look at California that’s what’s coming here in the coming years. You get what you vote for I suppose good luck The hard working small businesses of the lines
I think the council will only be happy when we are all reduced to poverty and all the business’ are boarded. Did no one at the council listen to the Mary Portas report? Multinationals and tech companies evade even a modicum of tax while the council does it’s best to ensure independent retailers are harassed and driven out.
“….the council will only be happy when we are all reduced to poverty and all the businesses are boarded up”
Really?
Wasn’t mentioned in the manifesto