James Hyatt explains why the exorbitant car parking fees are having a disastrous effect on his businesses in Camber.
“We’ve been trading in the village for 40 years, and all of our establishments are family run: The Dunes bar & restaurant, The Marina café, Camber beach goods, Camber Beach Boutique and The Chargrill Cabin, all of which are run by the Hyatt family.
“Every one of those businesses apart the Dunes bar are located on central car park. The Dunes bar is located next to the old putting green car park on old Lydd Road. So as you can imagine the footfall that those car parks provide are of the utmost importance to us.
“We’re currently experiencing the worst summer since we started trading in Camber in 1983. Our takings are down by over 70% on previous years. Of course Rother district council will blame the weather and the current cost of living crisis if challenged, as they will hardly want to be seen as responsible or accountable for potentially putting businesses under, and yes it’s a very real and worrying possibility.
“I’d argue that the weather does have a slight bearing but nowhere near enough to have caused the impact that we’ve seen this summer. We’ve experienced many bad summers before, more wet and windy than we’ve seen this year, but the public still came on a daily basis come rain or shine and the businesses have always managed to earn a living.
“Again, the current cost of living wouldn’t impact us either, we’ve seen two recessions in the last 20-odd-years and in both of those downturns we actually managed to flourish, due to the fact the public seek cheaper beach days out and holidays than going abroad. So again those two scenarios would have little to no impact on this season.
“What we have witnessed first-hand is 98% of vehicles have turned round and left the car park once they found out the price of parking. We actually have CCTV footage that dates back to the beginning of the scheme (trial as RDC are calling it) directed at the car park entrance that can prove this.
“The two reasons RDC have given for the fixed tariff is (I quote Hazel Timpe, head of tourism for RDC) 1: “To reduce the traffic through the village” and 2: “They don’t wish to burden the residents of Rother with council tax increases for Camber’s upkeep. I find those reasons contradictory, ridiculous and worrying.
“The head of tourism for 1066 county should be actively seeking to attract tourists to Camber, that’s part of her role surely? To actively discourage day trippers is extremely concerning and I’d say that applies to all businesses within Rother. She mentions the “red days” (busy days in heatwaves) that cause traffic congestion in the village. Admittedly those days aren’t ideal, albeit they could and should be managed much better by Rother than they currently are, but, we have to be realistic and put it into perspective.
“We get about two of those red days a season on average, no more (apart from the lockdowns) and it’s been this way in Camber since the 70s, that’s a fact. It’s also not a problem that’s exclusive to Camber either. Hundreds of seaside towns all over the country experience the same influx of day trippers during heatwaves. I’d imagine most local councils would be welcoming visitors, after all they’re the be-all-and-end-all to coastal towns’ economies. So once again discouraging vehicles is proving to be counterproductive on so many levels.
“In amongst all of this we’ve had no dialogue with RDC. We’ve constantly been ignored, they’ve not been open to any meetings with us, not answering emails, they’ve not once visited the car parks to see the impact for themselves. Do they actually still want businesses to flourish in Camber?
“It is a worrying time for all of us.”
Image Credits: Sophia-Lily Rose .
What a clear, sensible and persuasive arguement Jimmy Hyatt makes. This ludicrous RDC policy impacts on other local businesses too. The displacement from the car park impacts onto the streets, paths and verges as drivers look for cheaper options. Worse still the £30 charge effects many people who require a level access to the beach but cannot afford the fee. Often a short visit for an hour or two. Whatever the time £30!!
Jimmy Hyatt has explained the situation and the consequences so well. It is obvious to anyone who knows Camber what an effect the £30 flat fee is having on businesses, their staff, and also for people who cannot now access the beach easily from the level of Central car park. The only other access is via very steep dune paths or via Broomhill car park at the very end of the village (again not very easy) which is a long walk to cafes and facilities if you do have disabilities or towing young children along etc! RDC must be losing revenue too.
Aren’t business rates immune from any downturn and must be paid whatever?
Would this improve the situation? https://www.westwitteringestate.co.uk/news/new-car-park-prices-2023
NOTE: This link shows high season parking at West Wittering beach costs £14.00 (£8.800 after 3pm)
I wouldn’t expect any other response from RDC to be honest, they seem to think of themselves whatever they get up to!! Mind boggling to say the least.
The damage done by this tariff is real and has been eloquently put here. And has been made directly to and without acknowledgement by RDC.
The most unexplained element of this policy is the total lack of any consultation before the imposition (and publicity) at the start of the main summer months. RDC policy makers could have taken a leaf out of the book of Brighton and Hove, recognised this this is not the time and certainly not the solution! It seem ridiculous that the “consultation” is being put after the evident damage has already been done!
RDC are an absolute disgrace. I’ve tried to get them to act a few times and can confirm that they ignore emails and phone calls. Most of them seem to be “working from home” whatever that means. Even the local councillors can’t stir them out of their torpor.
We have driven here today and have A blue badge for our son, which states their is no charge as long as you are in a disabled bay, but there wasn’t one available so have had to pay the £30.00 fee.
Where as I am happy to pay for parking £30.00 is an outrageous amount and there should be some hourly rate options otherwise people will leave and not return or find alternative places to park.
As visitor to Camber I am bit confused
1) lots of articles last year on visitors being a nuisance and blocking sainsbury delivery for poor local people
I was reading those articles last year and thinking – didn’t ” you ” local people knew you are moving to popular tourist destination?
Made me feel unwelcome tbh
2) I came twice this year and the costs of parking are so crazy high that made me think if its not connected with unhappy local people.
So, I stopped travelling there its obvious that tourists are not welcome. Spending my money somewhere else.
Its a shame as this little town/place looks like need some investment and could benefit from better organised community which could benefit from its location – tourist .
Best of luck for next year
I predict the Council will next say its not being used enough to be sustainable and sell the land off with planning permission for housing .
Lets see if my prediction is correct
I now go to Pett Level beach instead !!!
I’ve been travelling through wales the maximum daily charge for parking at beaches is £8 for the day. What are our councillors thinking
Not sure whether the parking charges were putting people off coming to Camber this last weekend. Definitely a RED day or days. All car parks seemed to be full by 13.00hrs but still they came.
Always surprised that the traffic wardens seem to miss many more offenders than they actually ticket though. Do they have a limited supply of tickets or do they stop work before the rush of visitors is over? Surely if the council allowed their staff to work beyond 4pm they would cover much more than the £30 per day parking charges and the additional wages for their staff.
Just wondering what “management” car parks actually need?
Beyond very occasional maintenance and making sure any (?) staff are present or the machines are emptied of Lucre, of course.
In fact what “Management” do toilet facilities need around Rye? Surely one cleaner could do all?
I have lived abroad for the last 10 years (Best decision I ever made) and here rates are a tiny fraction of what GBians seem to think are necessary to “manage” their infrastructure. And it all works better than in GB. In fact parking costs nothing here and the toilets are spotless.
It seems that the best way is to make the parking free, then you can save on the clearly unsustainable “Management” cost of RDC in general.