Local business owner says no to parking charges
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WICK café owner Morag Mackenzie has been distributing posters throughout the town centre in a bid to call a halt to proposed charges at local car parks.
"Local people and retailers are not for it," she said.
Other town centre businesses are backing her campaign and she said: "We are confident that our councillors will not pass this proposal."
The proprietor of Morag's Café has distributed around 80 posters, handing them in to businesses along with petitions.
"People have been very happy to take them," she said.
"I think Highland Council was hoping to get the proposals through without too many objections. The timescale for consultation was very short."
They are talking about regeneration, but this seems a detrimental move. I don't think they have done their homework.
Ms Mackenzie spoke at this month's meeting of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, representing some of the businesses in the town centre.
She said: "They are talking about regeneration, but this seems a detrimental move. I have been told the tourists do not mind about parking charges, but it will push locals out of the town.
"I don't think they have done their homework."
As previously reported, local councillors are seeking to reassure the public over the contentious issue of introducing parking charges in Wick and surrounding area.
Prior to the consultation on the matter, the four Highland councillors representing Wick and East Caithness said the process would be fair and open with decisions made at a local level following close examination of the responses.
Wick and East Caithness councillor Raymond Bremner explained that they were asking key stakeholders to make their observations known during the first stage of consultation and all the points raised would be considered before any decisions were made.
The consultation includes proposals for all car parks in the town and the east side of the county that have more than 15 bays.
