Farnham butcher and bakery fear for future as parking dispute hits trade

Two long-established Farnham businesses say their livelihoods are under threat as parking and delivery difficulties take their toll on trade, prompting a petition that has attracted hundreds of signatures.

Morgan's Butchers and neighbouring bakery Loaf, both on Ridgway Road, say restrictions on parking and loading have made it increasingly difficult to serve customers and receive deliveries.

Butcher Gavin Woodman has reported a 30 percent fall in trade, while Loaf says its revenue is at its lowest level in nine years.

The difficulties come amid a long-running dispute involving parking, deliveries, noise and safety concerns, which has also resulted in legal proceedings.

The businesses say they want a practical compromise that addresses residents' concerns while allowing them to continue trading.

Mr Woodman, who has worked at Morgan's since 2001 and bought the business in 2023, said footfall had fallen by 26 percent.

He believes difficulties with parking have contributed to the decline, with some customers choosing to shop elsewhere.

“As a business owner, when you see a drop in trade, you start to take it personally and wonder where you went wrong. However, the support we have had has blown me away.”

Mr Woodman said a further legal dispute concerning bin collections was expected to be heard in Worthing rather than Guildford.

Andrea Harrison, sales manager at Loaf, said the bakery had experienced repeated problems involving deliveries, parking and complaints.

Ms Harrison, who has worked at the bakery for nine years and served the area for 18, said revenue was at its lowest level during her time there.

She said the bakery's delivery van had already received a parking ticket, while customers had complained about difficulties accessing the shop.

The businesses say they have tried to accommodate delivery restrictions, including requests for deliveries after 7.30am, but suppliers cannot always guarantee those times.

A petition launched on Tuesday by local resident Jason Michaelides calls for a compromise that would allow deliveries to take place over longer periods and customers to park outside the shops.

By 1pm on Wednesday, it had attracted 438 signatures, while a separate fundraising appeal had raised £700.

Local resident Lisa Towner said: “It is a shame it has come down to this.”

The traders acknowledge that safety concerns must also be addressed and have suggested measures including speed humps and a lower speed limit.

They say they want a solution that balances the needs of residents with those of businesses and their customers.

However, they fear that without changes, the future of the shops could be at risk.

The petition can be found at https://tinyurl.com/39ue5h7u.