BUSINESSES closest to a town centre development say they have been heavily penalised by a loss of parking spaces at the site.

Gilbert’s Outfitters has been operating at the entrance to Liskeard’s Cattle Market for 54 years.

Owner Martin Gilbert says that he has had “some very dark days” over the last month since work to start building Cornwall Council’s new Integrated Services Hub began.

“On the first Wednesday when they closed three quarters of the car park, we didn’t have a single paying customer,” he said.

“We should be really busy at the moment with back to school shopping, but the problem is, if you can’t park, you’re going to get your uniforms somewhere else.”

He acknowledged that the prepayment parking had now been sorted out so that people could park in any of the town centre car parks, but added that the price for three months had “gone up from £105 to £170”.

Martin has reservations about the overall plans for the former Cattle Market. While there are hopes the new Integrated Services Hub will bring footfall, he’s not convinced.

His shop sits alongside the former ATS garage, set to be demolished as part of plans to build a new bus interchange on the Cattle Market.

The acquisition of Gilberts had been part of the redevelopment plan, but despite the issues faced, Martin plans to stay put for the time being.

“We’ve had some embarrassingly low offers for here from the developer, not enough to relocate to another building,” he said.

At Smilers photography, Hannah Crabb tries to take a more optimistic view.

“Footfall is visibly lower and business has definitely been very quiet over the past few weeks, which could be due to the reduced parking, but equally it could be that it’s summer holiday time,” she says.

“I’m trying to take a positive view on things. We’ve come through the building of the Workshed, I am looking forward now to when it’s all done.”

But Steve Hibbert, who had been running his vintage toy business from a unit at the town end of the Cattle Market until the end of 2023, said his optimism had totally run out.

He feels that councillors and officers involved with the redevelopment of the site “did not listen or take into account suggestions” from small businesses, and that he and others have directly suffered as a result.

“The problems now affecting the cafe, Gilberts and Ye Olde Dusty because of lack of parking and accessibility to and from Varley Lane are exactly the same as what we have been experiencing for the last two years. I feel nobody cared then, and the council won’t care now,” he said.

“It was the parking restrictions that finally led to me having to close the shop after seven years of trading.

“I wasn’t allowed to load or unload, and customers were no longer able to visit and drop off collections as they always had done before.

“When I raised concerns over the pedestrianisation of that end of the car park, I was promised that I would still be able to have the same access. When the parking tickets started to arrive, Cllr Pascoe promised to take it up with the relevant office in Cornwall Council.”

Steve says that a request for better signage, and concerns over mess have “fallen on deaf ears”.

“The Council says it doesn’t own the alley, and so the council cleaner can’t include it on their route. There’s still animal faeces, vomit, urine up the wall and broken glass.

“I was once optimistic about it all but I now feel the community has gained nothing from an area of development that could have offered so much more. It’s my opinion that the management of the Cattle Market development and interactions have been a shambles.”

Liskeard Cornwall Councillor Jane Pascoe said that while she couldn’t comment publicly on her work to advocate for individual people, she had been sympathetic at the time of the disruption and had done the best she could to deal with each case at the time.

Cllr Pascoe said that the Cattle Market regeneration plans had been in consultation and planned over many years and that “Liskeard was fortunate to have achieved funding for this redundant and derelict site”.

“It is a massive investment in the future of the town. It will create many jobs, whilst at the same time increasing footfall in the town centre.

“The Integrated Service Hub will accommodate many front facing services, such as Registrar of Deaths and Marriages, Department of Work and Pensions, Adult Education, Children and Families, Health and Wellbeing, Council Contracts and Adult Day Care. Most importantly it will be easily accessible for local people. These services may have otherwise been located in Bodmin, St Austell or even Truro.”