It will drive our customers away - shop owners fear permits will be bad for business

SHOP owners are worried about their businesses now that Leicester City Council has set out proposals for new residents-only parking along several streets around the Golden Mile.

- By TOM MACK

Only a handful of streets will be included in the new scheme - the residential streets near to the junction of Belgrave Road, Melton Road and Loughborough Road.

However, with certain streets off-limits to shoppers, there are fears the already difficult task of finding a space will become much harder.

Atul Pattni, owner of Kampala Jewellers in Melton Road, said: "It is going to affect all of us. It seems to be one thing after another.

"I park in a street that's not getting residents' parking permits and obviously that's going to get much busier with the cars not being able to park in certain places.

"It's very difficult to park here. I get here about half an hour before any of the shops open most mornings and it can take me 30 minutes to find a space. Our customers also have problems finding parking.

"But there are just too many cars - back in the 1970s there were only three cars on the street I grew up on!"

Another store manager, Rashpal Singh, said: "With less parking, people will not be coming. I will be very quiet."

One of his customers, Bushba Mistry, 70, from Rushey Mead, said: "They'll have to come on the bus!