The Bank Holiday sunshine has brought thousands of day trippers flocking to Southport. The Marine Drive was solid with traffic by 11.00 and traffic was also solid on the Tarleton bypass approaching Southport.

One downside to this is the Council have increased parking charges on the beach to £5 ...a 50p rise over last week.

Why is it a downside to ask visitors to our town to pay an extra 50p to park? That is extra money into the council coffers which helps to keep our council tax down, or could be used to tidy up the roundabout son the way into the town.

Oh god heaven forbid that people might find our town an attractive destination for their bank holiday Monday! Better here than somewhere else. Increased footfall and money spent in our town is only a good thing for our shops, local people who are employed therein and the reputation of the town as a whole. But no lets moan about traffic and a 50p increase in parking, it's a seasonal fluctuation that most business employ!

took me 30 minutes to get out of Morrisons this afternoon

Originally Posted by RobinC

Why is it a downside to ask visitors to our town to pay an extra 50p to park? That is extra money into the council coffers which helps to keep our council tax down, or could be used to tidy up the roundabout son the way into the town.

It's Qlocal. There has to be a downside to everything.

Originally Posted by pentire

took me 30 minutes to get out of Morrisons this afternoon

Perhaps a different supermarket or a different time might have been a wiser choice.
It doesn't take a genius to work out that traffic in that area might be heavy on a bank holiday afternoon.

This is just another moan by the amateur qlocal "reporters". It *******s me off that they cannot say anything positive about out town. If potential visitors read this report and then don't bother coming here on the next bank holiday weekend, qlocal will be there claiming our towns demise and blaming the council and parking wardens. When infact queuing cars and busy shops and attractions are all good.
Personally, I went to Ingleton Falls, queued to get into the village and again to enter the main car park, then paid £6 per person to do the walk. It was heaving, there were parents, kids and dogs everywhere. But you know what, we had a great time - just like all those that came to Southport did.
Come on qlocal, get behind our town and be positive, or bugger off and let someone else do the job.