A NATIONAL pressure group has warned of ‘Dickensian’ parking restrictions that threaten to bring a winter of discontent to shoppers and traders in Sale.

Business owners in Ashton on Mersey have won the backing of the Federation of Small Businesses in their fight to prevent parking charges damaging trade in the village.

The Messenger reported last week that The Buck Inn had decided to introduce 24 hour pay and display machines, with shoppers who parked there being forced to pay between £2 and £10 and face £50 fixed penalty fines.

The Buck said it had been forced to introduce the charges because of motorists occupying spaces for pub patrons.

A chink of light came at weekend when the pub owner's offered a compromise of up to half an hour free parking to all and £1 per hour after that.

But a spokesman for the traders said they’d rejected the offer, adding that half an hour free parking was ‘pretty useless for elderly people who are trying to get their pension and do all their shopping’.

This week, the Federation of Small Business, which represents thousands of firms across the North West, stepped in on the side of the traders.

Richard Gregg, regional chairman, said: "Small retailers rely on the increased trade over the festive period to make it through the bleakest depths of winter, and if shoppers are put off coming in to the village then businesses there will miss out.

“The brewery’s decision to do this now is positively Dickensian."

Mr Gregg said the economic balance in small villages was easily upset and a move which was already causing reduced trade was worrying.

He explained: “Frankly, 30 minutes just isn’t long enough – would it harm the brewery to extend it to an hour or two?"

He added: "Take away the free parking, and you take away the shoppers – kill not the golden goose as the old saying goes.

“Unfortunately, traders in Ashton on Mersey are reporting a dip in sales. The Buck will feel the effect too, so it’s an ill-conceived, self-defeating measure they’ve imposed.

“The FSB has several members in the village, so we’ll be writing to the brewery to make sure their opinions are heard.”

A spokesman for the Buck Inn said: “We have offered the village 30 minutes free parking, but we do have a responsibility to ensure our customers can park in our pub car park.

"As a further gesture we have also offered to waiver any parking charges all day on Saturday, December 6, while the Ashton on Mersey Christmas Market is on."