A group of Reepham shop owners are suggesting that the Town Council reduce the size of the Wednesday market as they believe the shortage of parking spaces is affecting trade.
Representing “Reepham Small Shops”, Sarah Chapman of Diane’s Pantry said recent headlines in Reepham Life (December/January) encouraged shoppers to use the Wednesday market or lose it, but added that the same can also be said of the small shops in Reepham, many of which are struggling to earn a decent living wage from their businesses.
“If the current shopping climate does not soon improve, many of these excellent small shops will face closure,” she said in a letter to Reepham Life. “While many may not be as cheap as supermarkets appear to be, they do add value with service, advice and the personal touch, often delivering to those who are not able to get out.”
Ms Chapman noted that Reepham has a range of varied and interesting shops together with places to visit, adding that the town attracts many visitors that bring much-needed revenue to shops and businesses.
“Lately, however, many shops have been faced with a drop-off in trade, especially on a Wednesday, when the market square is filled with stalls and the only other car park [in Station Road] is full by 8.30 am.
“We have once-regular customers who now rarely shop in Reepham as they tell us they know they will struggle to park. As shop owners we are concerned that they do not even bother to try and, of course, word of mouth soon has a serious knock-on effect.”
The traders’ group has asked for just one side of the Market Place to be reserved for market stalls on a Wednesday, which would allow more visible parking spaces to be available. They also suggest the Market Place has parking spaces marked out so that people do not park inconsiderably, which would free up more space.
“The traffic warden could help in this respect by encouraging those who park all day to be more considerate and park further away from the Market Place and town centre,” said Ms Chapman. “This would free up more space for those who just call in for an hour in order to do their shopping.”
She argued that until the parking and market situation in Reepham town centre improves, “small businesses will struggle and it is a matter for both the market and small shops of ‘use it or lose it’. As soon as shops start to close, the town centre will start to wither. Action is needed now.”
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