'we’ve been here for 50 years and never had any issues'

ANOTHER BUSINESS FEARS CLOSURE AMID SWEEPING CHANGES TO PARKING AROUND EVERTON'S NEW HOME 08:28, 08 Feb 2025Updated 08:30, 08 Feb 2025 A shooting club that sits in the shadow of

Everton’s new home at Bramley-Moore Dock fears Liverpool Council’s new parking plan could shut it down after half a century in business. Gillian Locke, a representative of Atlantic Leisure

on Grundy Street, claims the major new parking restrictions being implemented by the local authority would "close us down". The business, which opened its doors in 1972, sits less

than half a mile from the new football ground and is in the middle of the new parking zone being brought in by city council. The council has announced a raft of new parking measures for the

area surrounding the 52,888 seater stadium, similar to what is already in place around Goodison Park and Anfield. The focus of the proposed parking zone covers the area within a 30-minute

walk of Everton Stadium, along the Dock Road, and will encompass the surrounding Ten Streets district, into the city centre and up to Great Homer Street in Everton. Ms Locke told the ECHO

how neither she or her colleagues at the club had been contacted over the scheme and felt ignored by both Everton FC and Liverpool Council. She said: “When the scheme was first mentioned, we

heard nothing. “If we’re only allowed 10 permits, we’re going to go out of business. We’re not going to gain from footfall. “I can’t get my head around this, we’ve been here for 50 years

and never had any issues. I don’t know where to go.” Article continues below More than 4,000 residents and 3,000 businesses are now being invited to apply for the relevant parking permits

ahead of the zone going live under an Experimental Traffic Road Order (ETRO) to coincide with the historic first test game at the £500m venue. The ETRO will run for up to 18 months and

during that period will then be reviewed by the council highways and transportation team. Residents will be able to apply for a permit for each vehicle registered at their address, plus one

visitor permit, for which there will be no fee. Businesses will be charged an annual fee of £50 per vehicle, up to a maximum of 10. Ms Locke said it was “so frustrating and upsetting” that

the club may have to uproot from Grundy Street after more than half a century. She added: “We’re only a small business, it started from a hobby and which led to a premises being bought and

setting up a company. We have good relationships with the other businesses and at any one time, we could have 30 people here plus staff on site. “We’d have to pay for those 10 permits, I

think it’s disgusting.” Cllr Carl Cashman, leader of the city’s Liberal Democrat group, said he feared a “blanket” approach could severely impact businesses like Atlantic Leisure. He said:

“These new restrictions will kill this business, which is a shooting club. Unfortunately they can't just allow walk-ins as people need to be thoroughly checked before they can take

part. “Many businesses around the new stadium will benefit from increased footfall and that's great news for the area. I just fear that a blanket approach to these permits will kill

several niche businesses like this.” Cllr Dan Barrington, Liverpool Council cabinet member for transport and connectivity, said: “Everton Stadium is going to be transformational especially

for the surrounding Ten Streets district and the wider Kirkdale community. As well as the economic benefit, the vast volume of people the stadium will attract – and how they arrive and

depart – needs to be carefully managed. “The North Docks area has never had to cope with such large numbers of people in such concentrated time periods, but fortunately the city has the

experience and knowledge thanks to Goodison Park and Anfield. By creating this new match day parking zone, we’ll be looking to adopt and incorporate those controls which so effectively move

tens of thousands on a weekly basis. “Bramley-Moore Dock is also a unique location given its very close proximity to the city centre and the fact the surrounding transport infrastructure is

well developed. There’s more to be done but all the partners are talking to make those improvements. “We’ll also be looking to encourage as many active travel options as possible for those

attending the games or other events there, which is a win-win for everyone in terms of managing congestion and air quality and promoting healthy habits. There’s lots of residents and

businesses, as well as Everton fans, who will be affected by this new zone and thanks to their feedback we’ve been able to formulate a plan which accommodates their needs.” In correspondence

seen by the ECHO, Colin Chong, Everton FC’s interim chief executive, said the club had undertaken a “huge amount of pre- and post-planning community consultation and engagement around the

development of our new stadium. I also understand our transport consultants undertook consultations with local businesses recently.” Article continues below He added: “As well as visiting 28

very public, high football locations over two years, we also had an extensive online engagement programme with the Liverpool City Region and beyond. We even undertook two separate business

initiatives prior to construction in 2021, alongside our transport advisors, to further understand the needs and concerns from owners. “Businesses in the local area not only received a

public invite but also a letter. I am sure you will appreciate that I don’t entirely agree with the sentiment that ‘our new ground will put small businesses out of business’, but I do

empathise that local businesses will be impacted by our relocation. “For many businesses, this impact is a positive one with the increased footfall, focus on a largely forgotten part of the

city and the enhanced land values our new stadium will bring to the area.”