Monday June 2nd 2025
Pie shop owner Charlie Hutchison outside his new business on Haddington High Street.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Shop owners have warned council plans to restrict free parking in their town centre to just 30 minutes will ‘kill’ the local high street.
East Lothian Council has launched the latest in a series of parking consultations to the market town of Haddington as it looks into expanding parking meters and charges across the county.
But while many fear the outcome is already a foregone conclusion, local businesses and their customers are fighting back.
Town centre shops have copies of a petition opposing the proposals on their front counters, posters urging support to stop the plans and a public meeting have all been arranged.
East Lothian Council insists no decisions have been taken about parking changes in the town, which currently offers 90 minutes free parking in the town centre before drivers have to move.
The new proposals include reducing the free parking to 30 minutes with parking meter charges imposed after that and fees being introduced for residents’ permits and are the latest in proposed changes to town centres across the county.
One of the biggest concerns for Haddington residents is the impact of a retail park on the edge of the town which provides hundreds of free parking spaces.
Others say the restricted free parking will stop customers spending time in the high street and destroy the community spirit within its cafes and shops.
Vanessa Vanderbelde owns Cafe 24, which is on Market Street in the town centre. She says the prospect of people being able to go to big coffee chains at the retail park, which has a Starbucks and Costa, because they can park for free is a big concern.
She said: “The proposed parking charges will have a huge impact on our business. We have customers who come from as far as Newtongrange and Dalkeith who come here to shop and want to stop for a coffee or sandwich.
“There is no parking problem in Haddington town centre, the 90 minutes work and is not a problem. These changes will send customers to the retail park where it is free and the big coffee chains.”
Charlie Hutchison opened his new pie and pate shop on Haddington High Street on Saturday after years of selling his products at local markets.
He said: “It is scary to think about what the council is proposing and how it could affect us as a new business.
“We set up the shop to bring us closer to customers, particularly our older customers, who we like to be able to spend some time chatting to and providing some community support.
“Having to rush in and out to do their shopping in just 30 minutes will have a negative impact on them and us. We want to build a community spirit and this will not help.”
In long-established shop Gibsons, on Market Street, customers have lined up to sign the petition against parking charges. One who came from the Scottish Borders said: “I come here and want to visit a few shops and enjoy my visit. Restricting the waiting time will not let me do that.”
Another customer said: “This will kill the high street. If people cannot park, go into a few shops and stop for a coffee and a chat, they will stop coming. It is more than just a 30 minute flying visit.”
In the artisan food shop The Foraging Goat, on the High Street, there were also concerns about the impact on the town centre.
Owner Catherine Taverner said: “Haddington High Street has a range of diverse and independent shops which attract customers who want to have a browse and spending a bit of time visiting.
“This 30 minute restriction will make it harder to do and less appealing. When people are coming and may be spending a little extra on specialist shops they don’t want to be paying for parking as well. We are all concerned about the impact on our town centre.”
Local MSP Craig Hoy has been a vocal objector to the consultations over parking charges he said are overwhelmingly unpopular, and says any proposals for Haddington should be scrapped.
He said: “I am very concerned that East Lothian Council are wasting public time and money on parking proposals for yet another East Lothian Town.
“While the council will undoubtedly claim the move will be a boost to the local economy they are very wrong. Parking charges will push shoppers to retail parks and supermarkets forcing them off the high street.
“The local community council, residents and businesses are all rightly concerned about the move, and I remain opposed to the roll-out of parking charges in any East Lothian towns.”
However Councillor John McMillan, Cabinet Spokesperson for Environment, Economic Development and Tourism, says the council is listening to local views.
He said: “This is an important opportunity for as many people as possible to have their say on ways of improving the management of parking in Haddington town centre.
“It is the latest in a series of ongoing consultations looking at how we might be able to address challenges associated with parking in many of our town centres.
“While no decisions on measures for Haddington have been taken at this stage, consulting on possible ways forward can help us address the current problems we face with parking together, whilst supporting the local economy and enhancing the environment.
“We know that demand for parking in town centres such as Haddington can be high, particularly during peak periods throughout the week. Our approach here is to work with the local community to explore solutions which increase the availability of parking spaces in Haddington town centre. Doing so can make it easier for people to access local shops and businesses.
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