Parking woes at WH Wellbeloved on Tanner's Hill, Deptford

William Wellbeloved of WH Wellbeloved Butchers, who has already forked out for new vans to meet the ULEZ requirements, described how parking fines are affecting the running of his shop.

“We’re just a small business,” the 61-year-old told News Shopper.

The butchers on Tanner’s Hill has been run by Mr Wellbeloved, 61, for more than 40 years after his dad died in a car accident aged just 54 in 1976. It has been in the family for nearly two centuries.

While the shop well established in south-east London, Mr Wellbeloved is concerned about the impact of increasingly strict parking rules on his custom.

The business has been in Mr Wellbeloved's family for nearly two centuries

Since May, he has been embroiled in several parking disputes over the car park at the back of the shop, for which he has a permit.

“We pay £500 a year for a business permit. It’s a bit complicated, the way they work it out,” he explained.

For his annual payment, Mr Wellbeloved registers two vehicles in the NSL-run car park, but he has received several parking fines since the permit was renewed in May.

“The permit system came into force a couple of years ago and it’s been fine – but since we paid back in May we’ve had a problem with their new equipment which isn’t registering our number plates.

“They’re handing out tickets to every Tom, Dick and Harry. We were being bombarded.

“They came down here one Saturday and said, ‘you’ve got to move your vans’. We didn’t in the end because we’ve paid for the permit, but they gave us tickets.”

Mr Wellbeloved has refused to pay any of the fines and is liaising with NSL to have them cancelled, but described his annoyance at having to deal with the tickets.

“We’re just a small business,” he told News Shopper, adding he has already had to fork out for new low-emission vans to meet the ultra-low emission zone requirements.

Mr Wellbeloved has run WH Wellbeloved since his father died in a car accident

NSL did not respond to a request for comment.

In addition to his own parking woes, Mr Wellbeloved is worried the yellow lines outside his shop on Tanner's Hill are putting customers off stopping nearby to pop in.

“[Parking enforcement] have been sending scooters around here, nicking everyone,” he said.

Gesturing towards a parking bay outside the shop, the butcher added it was the only place to park for free on the road – but even that bay is solely for loading and unloading.

“They are really on the ball here. Do they even want a business here, or are they trying to get rid of us?”

Mr Wellbeloved added he thinks the restrictions are “definitely” affecting his business.

“Just from my own customers’ point of view, to be able to pull up and have a few seconds to come in without feeling under pressure would be goof.

“As soon as they see the warden it puts them off.”

The butcher has called on Lewisham Council to consider parking arrangements similar to places like Ladywell where people can stop for a few minutes at a time to pop into a shop.

A Lewisham Council spokesman said: “The single yellow line restrictions on Tanner’s Hill restrict parking between Monday and Saturday from 8am–6.30pm and have been there for several decades.

“The yellow lines were subject to a statutory consultation process prior to their installation.

“These controls are needed on this narrow one-way street as parked vehicles would restrict the flow of traffic.

“Restrictions are particularly needed between these times to keep the road clear for weekday traffic and to discourage parking associated with the nearby Deptford Market.

“While these restrictions do not permit vehicles to park on this length of road, vehicles may stop for short periods to load or unload goods or to set down or pick up passengers.

“It is our position that, due to concerns regarding the safe flow of traffic on this road, these restrictions should not be relaxed.”

The Council has also offered to discuss the parking arrangements on the street with Mr Wellbeloved.