Small businesses are struggling. Larger businesses are seeing reduced footfall.
Post Offices are closing. Independent shops are shutting their doors. Morrisons and Marks and Spencer are leaving Fleet. Hart District Council are asleep at the wheel while our town centres are subject to ever more pressure. Something needs to change.
North East Hampshire Conservatives are calling for first-hour free parking in Council owned car parks right across Hart and Basingstoke and Deane to support our Town and Village Centres. Whether it's Odiham, Hartley Wintney, Fleet, or Basingstoke, rural residents who cannot walk to the shops would value the ability to 'pop in' to drive support for local businesses by increasing dwell and footfall.
Candice Anderson-Chase, local business owner and Fleet resident said: "Our high streets are suffering from reduced footfall, and free 'first hour' parking in council owned car parks across town and village centres will make a real difference in encouraging people to pop in and support small businesses."