08/02/2025
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share a quick update regarding my recent post about parking near the Royal Oak Car Park. After being asked I have decided to remove the letter, as it was considered too personal. However I feel there was nothing in the letter that could have been construed as anything but positive
I originally included it to provide context on what had occurred, particularly in light of negative comments suggesting my approach has been argumentative—which I strongly deny. My intention has always been to raise a genuine safety concern in a fair and constructive way.
To provide some background, I recently spoke with Jane about parking in front of the shop. I understand that Jan spoke with Nicky the following morning and mentioned that Jane was upset by our discussion. I want to be absolutely clear that it was never my intention to cause any upset, and I am genuinely sorry if anything I said led to any distress. Thinking back on our conversation, I truly don’t believe my tone was argumentative—I simply wanted to express a valid safety concern.
The reason for our discussion was that both Nicky and I have had multiple near accidents when pulling out of our car park due to restricted visibility. On most occasions, Jane’s car has been parked directly outside the shop, close to our car park, contributing to this obstruction. Additionally, we frequently experience difficulties when customers park in front of our entrance, making it challenging to pull out safely or return to our space.
Of course, I completely understand that we can’t prevent all parking issues, as customers will naturally come and go. However, the main issue is that Jane and Jan’s cars remain in these spaces all day without moving. These spaces would be ideal for customers making short visits, as they typically stay for 10-20 minutes before leaving. Keeping these spaces clear would help ease the issue and improve accessibility for everyone.
Previously, when this issue was raised, Jane kindly moved her car further down the road, which made a noticeable difference in improving visibility and access. However, parking has since shifted back to the original spot, and the same difficulties have returned. My request was simply to ask if Jane could once again park slightly further down, as this small change had already proved helpful in the past.
We felt, keeping the space in front of the shop clear could benefit everyone—making it easier for customers to stop by, improving visibility, and ensuring safer access for all.
If making a small change to parking habits helps prevent even one accident, then I believe it’s worth considering.
