leahortez86: John Street car park in Hanley to shut for final time

Saturday, April 9, 2011

John Street car park in Hanley to shut for final time

A MAJOR car park is to close permanently on Monday to make way for Stoke-on-Trent's new bus station.

The John Street surface car park next to the Victoria Hall will be closed although the multi-storey car park will remain open.

The council says the 570 multi-storey spaces are currently underused and will be able to cope with the demand as a result of the loss of the surface car park. About 29 per cent of the spaces are used at any one time.

It has been revamped with improved lighting and cleaned and painted stairwells and lifts. Doorways have also been fixed.

The multi-storey is open from 7am to 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, except on theatre show nights when it will close at 11.30pm, and 9pm on Thursday late night shopping.

David Deakes, owner of the Victoria Lounge Bar opposite the multi-storey car park, is worried about the effect the closure will have on his business.

The 72-year-old, from Trentham, said: "Many of our customers use the 24-hour car park and the multi-storey is quite under-used, but it is because the hours don't suit us whatsoever. We have customers going home late sometimes.

"Our customers just won't be able to park there and I don't think people will be happy parking further away.

"The opening hours are ludicrous. It's going to cost us big time."

David's wife, Eileen added: "No one mans the car park so the least they can do is open it late. They keep saying how they want to save money, well they're going to lose money this way."

Not all traders are unhappy about the closure though.

Co-owner of La Bella Napoli on Cheapside, Marcela Oxa, aged 26, from Hanley, said: "I don't mind that they're closing that part of the car park. Our customers will find space elsewhere.

"Having the new bus station in that location will be good. It'll bring in more people and will be better for business."

Hardial Bhogal, council director for city renewal, said: "None of the city's multi-storey car parks operate 24 hours a day due to the lack of demand compared to the cost of staffing the facilities in order to operate the barrier system.

"There are a number of surface car parks close by which offer 24-hour parking including Hinde Street, Lichfield Street and Broad Street. We will be opening the multi-storey car park on the usual hours for multi-storey car parks, but we will gladly review if there is a demand for any further hours."

Work started to put up fencing around the surface car park on March 23.

The bus station is the first stage of a �350 million redevelopment project which includes a new regional shopping centre.