Southend Namaste Village join fight against parking charges

Ronish Sutariya, owner of Namaste Village, opened last winter on Eastern Esplanade, Southend, and the restaurant quickly become a hit on the seafront. 

However, he now says that trade has fallen off and has pointed the finger firmly at the introduction of 6pm to 9pm parking charges. 

Seafront traders have rallied against the new charges since they were introduced earlier this year, but the Labour-led administration insists that Southend’s parking prices are competitive.

Local economy - Ronish said he believes the charges will have a negative effect on Southend (Image: Namaste Village)

Ronish told the Echo some of his loyal customers have been turning elsewhere due to the charges, instead choosing areas which have free parking.

He said: “As a local business owner and resident, I have witnessed firsthand how this decision is negatively impacting the local economy, particularly our seafront businesses.

“With the new charges in place until 9pm, we have noticed a sharp decline in evening visitors, as they are now deterred by the added cost of parking. Many loyal customers have expressed their frustration, and some are even choosing to visit areas where parking remains free in the evening.

“The seafront area has always been a vital hub for both tourism and local commerce, and the extended parking charges are placing an unnecessary strain on both businesses and residents.

“I fear that if this policy continues, it will result in a further downturn in business, affecting the livelihoods of many who depend on evening trade.”

Ronish added the previous measures, which saw free parking from 6pm to 9pm had provided a “significant incentive” for visitors to enjoy the seafront, and had greatly benefitted traders.

Traders, such as Ye Olde Chippy and The Seafood Shack, had previously told the Echo they were being forced to close early due to a lack of customers which they attributed to the charges.

Councillor Daniel Cowan said: “Our seafront charges are competitive with other seaside destinations and parking around the High Street is free after 6pm, with most spaces just a few minutes’ walk from the seafront.

“Figures over the summer suggest that more people are using our parking spaces compared to the same time period last year, despite worse weather. We can highly recommend businesses promoting the Southend Pass to their customers which will not only give them 3 hours of free parking per zone each day, it will also exempt them from evening charges.”