New Street Carpark Shocker !!

[michaelm]

You've lost me there Viv. ?

I think the Cooncil spent 1000s on nights oot? Sure I read this recently.

I must have spent tens of thoosands on nights oot over the years Viv, but I still wouldn't be too keen on paying the maintenance bill for a car park that belonged to someone else.

Personally I think a compromise will be reached at some point, but that won't excuse the couldn't care less attitude of the owners.

[brian f]

michaelm- Nancy used to live next door to my sister in the flats Fergushill road Kilwinning ,don't know what happened to her husband never seen him, this maybe was the late seventies. What a happy lady she was my nephew was terrified of her and my sister preferred the Thistle club

Don't the local business owners have something to say about the closure of the car park...

[Vivc113]

You've lost me there Viv. ?

I think the Cooncil spent 1000s on nights oot? Sure I read this recently.

I must have spent tens of thoosands on nights oot over the years Viv, but I still wouldn't be too keen on paying the maintenance bill for a car park that belonged to someone else.

Personally I think a compromise will be reached at some point, but that won't excuse the couldn't care less attitude of the owners.

I think this was 160 K though. Sure I read this somewhere. We will feel it in the new Council Tax bills in April.

[michaelm]

I think this was 160 K though. Sure I read this somewhere. We will feel it in the new Council Tax bills in April.

Didn't know it was as much as that Viv, but it doesn't really surprise me as lavish spending on these sort of things seems to be the norm for local council's these days.

Bill, you were right, the carpark is closed today. There's a couple of metal posts been sunk in at either end of the entrance, with some heavy duty metal chainlink and a padlock across them. 'No Parking' signs as well.
So it looks like the 'standoff' has well and truly begun.
Afton rd. and New street are quite congested with parked vehicles and the wee car park designated as only for health centre staff looks strangely busier than usual today.

Don't the local business owners have something to say about the closure of the car park...

I'm sure they will Brian, but it maybe depends on how long it stays closed and whether folk can find enough alternative parking spots nearby until things get resolved.
Aye, Nancy from the Glencairn could be a bit of a battleaxe at times, but on the other hand she could be a very pleasant woman as well. Bit of a mixed bag was what you got with Nancy.

[stivis]

I did want to get into this as I've went on about the Troughers in the council both on the council and the council management.....any way the land was compulsory purchased, (remember Willie Allison's shop standing alone)........some where between then and now , it's been sold off(,It being the property of the public ie us),without a "by your leave"
This has the potential to be the cluster (what ever the word is) that the property in Irvine High Street was ,

TBH now, just flatten the lot and have done with it......

[brian f]

I think this was 160 K though. Sure I read this somewhere. We will feel it in the new Council Tax bills in April.

Didn't know it was as much as that Viv, but it doesn't really surprise me as lavish spending on these sort of things seems to be the norm for local council's these days.

Bill, you were right, the carpark is closed today. There's a couple of metal posts been sunk in at either end of the entrance, with some heavy duty metal chainlink and a padlock across them. 'No Parking' signs as well.
So it looks like the 'standoff' has well and truly begun.
Afton rd. and New street are quite congested with parked vehicles and the wee car park designated as only for health centre staff looks strangely busier than usual today.

Don't the local business owners have something to say about the closure of the car park...

I'm sure they will Brian, but it maybe depends on how long it stays closed and whether folk can find enough alternative parking spots nearby until things get resolved.
Aye, Nancy from the Glencairn could be a bit of a battleaxe at times, but on the other hand she could be a very pleasant woman as well. Bit of a mixed bag was what you got with Nancy.

Was the car park free of charge. Not many are these days.
Aye your right michaelm-everybodys oh right in small doses ...

[michaelm]

It's privately owned but it was always free to park there after an agreement between the local council and the owners at the time of it's construction. (around 2000)

The entrance is locked again today, but yesterday just after 4pm the staff of the Multan Tandoori takeaway arrived to open up and obviously had a key to the padlock with them as they unlocked it and entered with their vehicle. It was then later left unlocked by them so that their customers and posse of self employed delivery drivers could come and go until the place closed around midnight. It was then locked again when the staff left.

Strangely though, there was no such courtesy afforded during the day to either the customers or employees of the Lloyds Pharmacy branch that's situated just next door.

[michaelm]

The Carpark is open to the public today, but maybe it's just a wee reprieve over the weekend.

[Jim McCreadie]

QUOTE
..... staff of the Multan Tandoori takeaway arrived to open up and obviously had a key to the padlock with them as they unlocked it and entered with their vehicle. .....
END QUOTE

I don't doubt the veracity of the statement although it's beyond me how a business could obtain the padlock key.

Anyway, the answer is BOLT CUTTERS at 2AM !

[michaelm]

Jim, the company who own the carpark are registered somewhere in southern England I believe.
The couple of shop units remaining and also the flats adjacent to the carpark are owned and rented out by them and I think a wee deal's been done between the carpark owners and the takeaway.

Their staff arrive every day around 4pm ish, unlock the padlock to let their van in and then park it round the back. They keep the entrance padlocked until they open up then unlock it to allow takeaway delivery drivers and customers to enter and leave the carpark as and when they please. It's then locked again behind them when they close around midnight to head back to the Glasgow area where they live.

The carpark owners know the general public have no access to it during the day.

It WAS accessible to vehicles all day on Saturday so I'm guessing the takeaway folk have been told not to lock it behind them when they leave on a friday night.
A token gesture but still a sad state of affairs.

There must be a few local folk who've felt like taking things into their own hands with a pair of Bolt Cutter's.

A couple of pics.

[creamolafoam]

Jim, the company who own the carpark are registered somewhere in southern England I believe.
The couple of shop units remaining and also the flats adjacent to the carpark are owned and rented out by them and I think a wee deal's been done between the carpark owners and the takeaway.

Their staff arrive every day around 4pm ish, unlock the padlock to let their van in and then park it round the back. They keep the entrance padlocked until they open up then unlock it to allow takeaway delivery drivers and customers to enter and leave the carpark as and when they please. It's then locked again behind them when they close around midnight to head back to the Glasgow area where they live.

The carpark owners know the general public have no access to it during the day.

It WAS accessible to vehicles all day on Saturday so I'm guessing the takeaway folk have been told not to lock it behind them when they leave on a friday night.
A token gesture but still a sad state of affairs.

There must be a few local folk who've felt like taking things into their own hands with a pair of Bolt Cutter's.

A couple of pics.

Dont think that two bob padlock will hold back the masses

[Jim McCreadie]

In the first photograph, it appears the opposite end where the white vehicle is seen is open. Or is that an optical illusion?

" ..... two bob padlock ....." THAT much?