Businesses in North Berwick warn a plan for parking charges are the “nail in the coffin” for the town’s high street.
The seaside town is the first of five areas of East Lothian due to see parking charges brought in, with consultations ongoing over similar plans for Dunbar, Tranent, Haddington, and Musselburgh.
The scheme was approved by councillors in December 2024 despite hundreds of objections from locals.
What are the new rules?
At the moment, it’s free to park in areas of the town such as the High Street for a duration of 90 minutes.
Changes approved last December by East Lothian Council will see the time a driver can park for free cut in half to 45 minutes.
Extending your time to 75 minutes will cost £1, and a maximum stay of 90 minutes will be a total of £2.
Permits for residents will also be introduced.
‘We’re going to lose visitors’
A post on the local authority website states that the rules should have been in force by “early June” but due to delays around planning permission for parking meters in the world heritage site, that has been delayed.
Yet some in the town still hope a re-think might be considered due to long running concerns around the impact.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to North Berwick each year, and the busy high street is well used by locals too.
STV NewsBusiness owners like Susan Oliver, who runs So&Co Accessories, says it could be devastating for the high street.
“It’s like the final nail in the coffin for some people,” she said.
“I know of other shop owners who are saying ‘we’re going to take early retirement, we’re not going to extend our leases’.”
Susan believes it will particularly affect the tourist market, the “jewel in the crown” of North Berwick.
She added: “We’re going to lose those people if they bring in the parking charges.”
‘It will decimate the high street’
STV NewsMeg Maitland, who runs a clothes shop of the same name, knows all too well the impact of parking rule changes.
She experienced the introduction, and later scale-back, of similar parking rules in Berwick-Upon-Tweed where she runs another outlet.
“It decimated the high street overnight,” she said.
“Footfall fell, people couldn’t be bothered once they found a space. They then had to go and find a meter and pay.
“So they would then go to the out-of-town shopping centre and park there when it was free.”
North Berwick Community Council Chair Kenny Miller hopes that the local authority will re-consider proceeding with the plans.
He says there are similar concerns about parking schemes being proposed in other towns across East Lothian.
He said: “These schemes and unnecessary and damaging.
“There are already restrictions in place across the centre of our towns.
“But they’re simply not enforced.”
STV NewsAn East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the North Berwick Parking Management consultation, including the community council and business community.
“We greatly value all the feedback we received, much of which was taken on board when the proposals were designed.
“Following this significant public engagement, the proposals were approved at a council meeting last December and work is ongoing to deliver these improvements.
“Planning applications for parking meters are being considered through the usual planning process and, as is standard practice, any representations received will be summarised in the planning officer’s report and will be taken into account by the Planning Committee when they decide the applications.
“The determination of these applications will inform the timescales for the introduction of parking charges.”
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