Don't put people off visiting town
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A message to Hastings Borough Council:
I am contacting you on behalf of the audience who parked in Pelham Place car park yesterday evening.
They came to watch Renaissance Theatre Company’s show South Pacific to help raise much-needed funds for the wonderful St Michael’s Hospice, Hastings, and to enjoy an excellent evening of entertainment at St Mary in the Castle.
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Hide AdI am part of the theatre company and was helping this year to sell tickets on the door. Well I have to say despite having heard on social media a rumour that parking costs had changed and risen, I looked up on Hastings Council’s website parking charges and they appeared to be as I remembered them – £1.30 per hour and after 6pm till 8am the fee was £1.00.
So I was rather disappointed to find in fact this was not the case, along with virtually every audience member whom spoke about their outrage at the cost as they arrived at the theatre opposite this car park.
Having to pay £4.30 for under three hours parking and a confusion as to whether they had in fact paid enough. Then as time went on, not in fact being able to pay as machines were out of order – in fact three at least, I was told, not accepting money and people not having Internet connection on phones to download the ringgo app.
Come on Hastings Council, do you not think this is excessive in the evening? And what a poor show for locals supporting charity events and tourist trying to bring money into local businesses and restaurants. I did not hear anything but upset and astonished words regarding this matter all evening.
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Hide AdWe want to encourage people to come into our lovely town, surely not put them off through overpriced parking charges. Please reconsider this action.
Yes, make parking slightly higher during the summer season and days, but paying after 6pm inflated charges and not advertising this adequately surely is wrong.
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