We spent the day at Ecclesall Road to look at how the street’s parking situation is impacting local businesses

It has long been regarded as one of the city’s prime shopping spots.

Vibrant Ecclesall Road is home to many students from both Hallam and the University of Sheffield alike- and is famous for being a hotbed for independent bars, restaurants, cafes and clothing stores.

However, it’s getting harder for those places to thrive, according to staff, who claim that the current parking situation is costing them dearly.

Last year, just under 2,500 parking fines were handed out on Ecclesall Road - the highest of any street in the city for the third year in a row.

We spent the day at Ecclesall Road to look at how the street’s parking situation is impacting local businesses | Dean Atkins/ Canva

placeholder image — We spent the day at Ecclesall Road to look at how the street’s parking situation is impacting local businesses | Dean Atkins/ Canva

When told about this statistic, Jess Bradshaw, the regional visual manager at White Rose clothing store said: “I’m not surprised at all. It’s always been bad and is getting worse. A few years ago cars used to be given a slot of around four hours to park their vehicle and that’s now halved to just two.”

Jess explains that the fear of being fined deters some customers from driving to Ecclesall Road from further afield.

Last year just under 2,500 parking fines were handed out on Ecclesall Road | S70 Media

“If you know the area well, then there are a few places where you can park for the day. However, they are few and far between,” she added.

“There’s been times where I’ve had to close the shop after a long day at work and literally sprint to my car to try and avoid being fined. I have been fined before and it can be really annoying.”

When asked about the impact it is having on customers, Jess said: “I’ve not had loads of conversations about it to be honest. But I think it’s something that you can just sense when people aren’t relaxed.

“I saw a couple in the store last week - and they were constantly looking over their shoulder to check nobody was coming to issue a fine. I think people are in and out a lot faster than they’d like rather than getting sufficient time to browse.”

Kerry Proctor echoes these concerns, she parks on Victoria Road and says she has a 15 minute walk to get to her place of work, Koppa Coffee.

Kerry explains that the parking situation is a common complaint among customers. | S70 Media

“It’s absolutely dreadful and needs sorting out,” she said.

“I have a long walk each day as there’s basically nowhere to park around here. It’s a bit of a strain after a 10-hour shift.”

Kerry explains that the parking situation is a common complaint among customers.

“It has a huge impact on the business. It stops a lot of customers from coming when they want to.”

The owner of Gandaran Bakery believes the parking situation is having a negative impact on local businesses | S70 Media

Loghman Ghasemi, the founder of the award-winning Gandaran Bakery which launched last year, added: “We hear a lot of complaints from customers, who say that they’d visit a lot more often if it wasn’t for the poor parking situation.

“Many have had fines and say that they pass through the area quickly rather than staying and shopping.”

The effects of parking fines are impacting businesses across the board.

Sobuj Miah, the owner of Prithiraj, which has been rated as England’s best Indian restaurant for the third time in five years, added: “Parking has become a real concern for many customers. We regularly hear that people worry about receiving fines, and that can affect their decision to come into the area.”

"Any improvements that make visiting Ecclesall Road easier would be welcomed by businesses and customers alike," said Sobu Miah, the owner of Prithiraj. | Prithiraj.

He also called on the council to do more to help independents and local traders thrive.

Sobuj Miah said: “Local restaurants rely heavily on convenient parking, especially in the evenings and at weekends, so any improvements that make visiting Ecclesall Road easier would be welcomed by businesses and customers alike.

“We really hope businesses along Ecclesall Road are not affected any further, as it’s such an important area for local independent traders.”

A Sheffield City Council spokesperson said: “Ecclesall Road is a major route into and out of the city centre, it is patrolled daily, especially during peak times, to keep vital areas such as bus lanes free from obstructions.

“The Parking Enforcement officers are also in the area to help support local businesses and residents who live on the road.

“Ecclesall Road has a high number of restrictions on it, including bus lanes, taxi ranks, pay and display car parks and bus stops among others, it is vital for the continued running of the city that these are not obstructed by illegally parked vehicles.”