“People stopped coming because they had nowhere to park,” says Anna Sheridan, owner of the Plumcake cafe in Bramhall’s Village Square shopping centre.
On a sunny September day, it would normally be full of people milling around the shops and chatting over coffee in the central square. But United Utilities’ decision to close the Village Square car park for business has turned the area into a ‘ghost town’ – and businesses say they will struggle to survive.
The water company closed the parking lot last week to begin a project aimed at improving water quality in nearby Micker Brook. The company’s initial ground survey began Sept. 4 and is scheduled to last six weeks in hopes of reducing local storm flooding.
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Full-scale studies will begin next year and will be spread out over a longer period of time. The exact timeline is expected to be confirmed later this year.
While there are alternative parking options in the area, including the nearby Meadway car park, businesses said many customers were forced to park in Village Square to put shopping in their cars or to shorten walking distances for elderly or disabled visitors.
Sheridan said the impact of the current lockdown for businesses such as Plumcake cafe was already “catastrophic”.
He added: “It could destroy the whole of Bramhall, people will go elsewhere. My people are not coming, we cannot survive this, I am already thinking about what to do next.”
In fact, shopkeepers say there has been a drop in footfall into Village Square since the Sainsbury’s store moves in February 2023, but they warn that a lack of parking is now leading to fewer customers.
Denise Cardew is a regular visitor to the Village Square with her partner Paul and their two dogs, Lola and Alfie. Sitting at one of the many empty tables outside the Plumcake cafe, Ms Cardew said she could “see the difference” in the number of visitors lost since the car park closed.
“There are a lot of elderly people who cannot walk that far,” he added.
“You can understand the work that needs to be done but they need to think about the local people. It’s very sad to see it like this, it’s like a ghost town.
“We love talking to people and meeting people here. The same people keep coming back, it’s a strong community.”
Angela Coppock, Greetings’ manager in the area, said: “I don’t know how we’re going to survive another year. We’ve lost three or four disabled parking spaces, so it’s particularly hard on them.”
In recent years, businesses in Village Square have struggled to stay afloat during Covid and felt like the worst was long behind them.
Sharon Dobson, owner of children’s hair salon Little BigHeads, believes another big challenge facing the area is parking, and that it can only survive thanks to the loyalty of its regular visitors.
“We have to implore our customers to still shop with us and not forget us,” he said, adding: “We got through Covid, this is something that needs to be gotten through too.”
Business owners agreed that more needed to be done to help people wanting to visit the area. They suggested measures such as introducing a park-and-ride system so older people could get to Village Square and requiring United Utilities to pay a portion of their rent during car park closures.
Some said there needed to be more awareness raised that blue badge holders in Stockport can park on yellow lines for up to three hours unless there is a loading ban.
What Stockport Council says
Stockport council officers visited the site and the town hall said they were aware of the difficulties caused by the loss of parking, but the work was “essential” and had to go ahead.
Councillor Grace Baynham, the council’s cabinet member for parks, highways and transport, said: “We understand the frustrations expressed by our residents and local businesses and are actively working with all relevant parties to minimise disruption.
“United Utilities is working hard to improve the storm overflow system at Briarlands Close, which flows into Micker Brook. These improvements are essential to protect our environment.
“For everyone’s safety while the works continue, the council needs to temporarily close the southern section of the Bramhall Quarter car park until early October.
“We are aware of the inconvenience this may cause and would like to advise you that alternative parking is available at the nearby Meadway car park, just a five-minute walk away.”
A United Utilities spokesman said: “We are committed to improving water quality across the region and this important scheme will reduce the number of times nearby storm floods reach Micker Brook.
“We understand the impact this work will have on the local community and that is why we have been in contact with them for months to inform our plans. We are also working with the council to reduce the impact of the car park closure.
“Our teams will do everything they can to ensure the car park reopens as quickly as possible during this investigation phase.”