Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones and Dr Myfanwy Davies, Plaid’s Llanelli Westminster candidate have joined local business leaders in calling on the County Council to release the Stepney Hotel site for free car parking over the Christmas period. The call follows a breakfast meeting arranged by Myfanwy and Helen Mary at which Ieuan Wyn Jones, Economy Minister and Plaid Cymru Leader met with business leaders to discuss problems faced by the town centre.
The number of shoppers visiting the town centre continues to decline despite many empty shops having recently being filled. Many businesses are nervous of borrowing from banks even where credit is available. Increasing the number of shoppers visiting the town centre during the Christmas period will be crucial to the survival of many local businesses. Traders also noted that free parking in out of town centres represented an unfair advantage over the town centre.
In a letter to Ieuan Wyn Jones, Myfanwy wrote:
Our town centre businesses are under severe pressure due to the developments at Parc Trostre and Pemberton but also due to the wider effects of the recession on lending and consumer spending. Releasing the empty Stepney Hotel site in the town centre could provide an important boost to visitors in the run up to Christmas. I understand that the County Council believes that the site cannot be released due to concerns about pollution - presumably by petrol. I would be grateful if your officers could discuss options for opening the site or another suitable site and providing support for marketing free car parking during the Christmas period.
Myfanwy said:
“We are asking the County Council to do something very simple to help support Llanelli’s businesses during a period when they have seen an unprecedented fall in sales. Our businesses pay their rates and it is right that they expect suitable support from the county council.”
Helen Mary added:
“Free parking at Christmas would give people the opportunity to see how much Llanelli town centre has to offer. I understand that plans are in place for the site to be developed, but whilst we’re waiting for the plans to come through, I don’t see why the site can’t be used as a free car park. We’re still in a situation where people can park for free in Trostre Park, and charged in the town centre. Releeasing the empty Stepney Hotel site would be a small way to sort out this inbalance.”
St Elli Shopping Centre Manager Gilmore Jones said:
"I would warmly welcome the release of the Stepney Hotel site for parking over the Christmas period and into late January. I have been approached by a number of traders and tenants asking for this to happen - the site is the first thing visitors to the Town Centre see and is a complete eyesore as it currently stands. Utilising the site for free parking would mitigate its negative image, and would be an enormous boost to the Town Centre - putting us on a level playing field with Parc Trostre."
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