Seaham shop owner says she is 'first victim' of parking charges as she announces closure

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‘The least we've taken in a day was £15’

Jonathon and Debbie Turner blame the closure of the shop squarely on the introduction of parking charges.Jonathon and Debbie Turner blame the closure of the shop squarely on the introduction of parking charges.
Jonathon and Debbie Turner blame the closure of the shop squarely on the introduction of parking charges. | NW

A sweet shop owner operating from Seaham sea front says it is about to become the first business to close there because of newly imposed parking charges. She also warns that it won’t be the last.

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Debbie Turner has run Jacob's Sweet Emporium at the Waterside building at Seaham Marina since 2018. She and husband Jonathan had hoped to hand the business over to their two children in the future. Jonathan serves as accountant to the shop, which also serves coffee.

The couple say the business was doing fine until April 15, when Durham County Council introduced the charges at seven parking areas, including the Seaham Marina car park, where blue badge holders pay too and which the Turners pay to have maintained.

Parking had been free until the council introduced charges there, as well as at five other coastal car parks, plus on 32 new bays on the B1287 North Road.

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Parking now costs £1 an hour or £3 to park all day, every day 8am-6pm. The Waterside is at the bottom of a bank.

Mrs Turner said: "We handed our six months notice in on Monday (June 10).

"We had a lot of elderly and disabled people and people who live alone coming every day to see a friendly face. There is free parking in Seaham, but if you can't walk down that bank this is a no-go area.

"The least we've taken in a day was £15.

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"Easter to summer has previously been the time of year when we take on more staff. We've got three staff normally, then in the summer it's up to six.

“This year we've not taken anybody on. In fact we've laid two off up to now and three are on notice.

"We weren't struggling at all before April 15. On a weekend day at this time of year we normally take over £1,000. We're calling it a good day now if we take £200.

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"Winter time we break even; summer time you make money. But this year in summer, we're making a loss. The least we've taken in a day was £15. We pay £70 wages.

Mr Turner added: "Previously in May to July, we'd be making at least £2,000-£3,000 monthly profit. This year it's just over £1,000 loss. This is only since parking charges started.

"There's five people out of work now and they're going to be on Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. And we're not the only ones letting people go.

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“We close in September. We'll hopefully recoup some of the losses over the summer.”

The sweet shop operates from one of 12 commercial units at the Waterside building.The sweet shop operates from one of 12 commercial units at the Waterside building.
The sweet shop operates from one of 12 commercial units at the Waterside building. | NW

A Durham County Council spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear this business is having difficulties but it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on an individual tenancy.

“The charges of £1 for an hour and £3 for all day are limited to seven locations in Seaham with free parking still widely available at other sites around the town centre. All of these are a short distance from the sea front and marina.”

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A Freedom of Information request by the Echo revealed that, in its first month, the total amount raised for the council through charges and fines from Seaham's seven newly-chargeable parking areas was around £45,000.

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