Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has written to the local council asking them to reconsider a decision to charge a small bookshop in Newport £400-a-year to put a cardboard box of second-hand books on the pavement outside the shop.
Margaret Norris, of Books 2 Love in Pyle Street, Newport, asked for Bob’s help after she was asked to pay the charge for the boxes, which had been there for the past 10 years.
The boxes have been designated as ‘street furniture’, causing the Isle of Wight Council’s Highways Permissions Policy to kick in.
Margaret Norris said:
“The box is only a foot in depth which still leaves over a metre clearance on the pavement which is in line with statutory requirements.”
Bob has written to the Council, who is responsible for the licensing of street furniture under the Highways Act, asking them to reconsider this decision. He has said:
“Frankly this is daft. They are cardboard boxes, they are only out when it is sunny, and they take up next to no space.
“We should be finding ways to support small businesses, not finding ways to put additional charges on them.
Article continues below this advertisement “I have written to the IW Council asking whoever is responsible to reconsider this decision.”
The bookshop supports the Love Russia charity and has also offered work experience to over a 100 young people with social and educational needs and volunteer placements for many older people over the 10 years they have been open.
Surprised the council didn’t slap ’em with a £4k bill for admitting the box had been there for 10 years…
… on the flip side, whilst one box might not take up much room I can count at least 4 boxes and an advertising sign in the headline picture… give an inch take a mile?
Good opportunity to clear the rubbish off the pavements
Cap’n Bob should spend his time on more important issues, such as the Island Roads PFI debacle. However altruistic (last paragraph is hardly relevent to her gripe) the shop owner is, she needs to pay for a permit to trade on the pavement. She’s also flogging lavender, not just books. What next?
she should be paying and its a damned trip hazard as well. It is a pavement, designed for walking on, not for her to display her stock.
Perhaps they start charging all the residents for dumping their rubbish bags on the pavement each week and all these people that have advertising boards out, cluttering up the walkways.
she is taking the p££s. Lavender in boxes, cardboard boxes of books, an advertising board with balloons attached, what next tables, chairs and a quiet please sign.
she is taking liberties.
What I would like to see is a concertive effort by our IW Council to openly support small, local shops.
Otherwise we lose them!
Then we end up with only bigger stores which when they go leave big, empty shops in town.
Not that long ago Newport was full of independent small shops and businesses and now it is not.
So it is great that our MP is trying to help this shop owner.
Good luck!
Well done, Bob! Mindless bureauracracy like this is a major cause of high streets dying!
With Brexit looming, your words need to be restated loud and clear:
“We should be finding ways to support small businesses, not finding ways to put additional charges on them.”
Let’s see if they back down on this before any well done’s are mentioned.
The pavements should be kept clear of obstructions and trip hazards. The council should be telling her to keep it clear at all times.
However, just hook shelves across the outside of the windows when she’s open. Simple.