Bar owner fined nearly 100 times for parking outside his venue to unload stock

A bar owner says his business has been left in a near-impossible situation after he was fined 96 times for parking close to his bar to unload stock.

Stephen Reynolds has paid more than £3,300 in fines and hasn’t been able to successfully appeal even one.

It all started when Newport City Council pedestrianised Newport High Street, the road his bar and grill Slipping Jimmy’s is on, back in July 2020.

Access to unload stock has been restricted to between 6am and 10am – but Stephen’s supplier in Cardiff opens at 9am and he can’t get back to shift out his barrels in time.

He estimates that he has at least three run-ins with the council every month of the year and is fined at least £35 every time he is late by even one minute.

The businessman, who has been on the street for 10 years, has changed supplier ‘where he can’ and has started parking at the NCP car park at Queenway – yards away from his bar.

But he has started getting fines for ‘spending too long’ in the designated parking bay, despite there ‘being no sign warning of a time limit’.

Things could get even worse for him as this loading bay might be turned into a cycle lane as part of a plan to transform Newport’s Old Green roundabout.

Stephen says ‘by the time I’ve paid one fine I get another one’ – and claims that bands due to play at his bar are cancelling because they have nowhere to unload their gear.

Other businesses on the street have also impacted by the rules during an already tough time, he says.

Holding two tickets he received last week, Stephen said: ‘On Friday I walked up and they were at my car taking photos and writing a note and I said to them: “What are you doing? I’m unloading the car for my business.”

‘They said: ”You’ve been parked too long.” I said: “Are you taking the Mick? I’ve just pulled up.” They won’t listen.

‘I dread to count the tickets I’ve had since I’ve been here. I’m averaging three tickets a month which has been going on since it’s been pedestrianised.

‘I’m paying £35 a ticket. It’s got to the point where I’ve spoken to everyone I can speak to about it and all I get is: “It’s been pedestrianised for health and safety reasons and we can’t allow you access after 10am.”

‘There are no shops up here, there are not that many people up here. You’d have to go out of your way to hit a pedestrian.’

The council has told Stephen he can unload at a permanent bay at Bridge Street – but he says ‘that is so far away from my bar I’d be unloading for half a day every day’.

‘These are barrels of beer and boxes of wine – not letters’, he said.

‘The council can say it’s not their problem but I was here before they brought in all of this and it’s seriously affecting businesses.

‘You get to a point where you think is it even worth it?’

A spokesperson for Newport Council said: ‘Restrictions on vehicles accessing the pedestrianised High Street have been in place for a number of years.

‘More than two years ago, the hours of access were changed to 6am to 10am each day to improve safety for visitors, including those using the outside hospitality areas in High Street.

‘The suggestion that the wardens have been instructed not to book vehicles incorrectly using the loading bay in Queensway is categorically not true. Enforcement continues to take place.

‘A consultation is taking place on major travel improvements in the city centre but no decisions have been made.

‘We would encourage people to have their say before the deadline on April 6 at https://haveyoursay.tfw.wales/newport-central-travel-improvements.

‘There is also another loading bay available in Bridge Street between the hours of 7am and 7pm which can be used by those making deliveries.’

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