Readers views on what would make Stratford better for residents and visitors

LAST week we asked what changes could be made to improve the experience in Stratford and boost footfall. Here are a few of your responses.

COULDN’T pay – drove away… The demise of local people visiting town shops can be put down to largely one reason – the RingGo App.

People don’t want or know how to use it, they don’t have a smartphone, the signal is poor or they don’t wish to pay a so-called ‘convenience’ fee to RingGo. Convenient for who? Certainly not the paying public.

A significant number of people are unable to walk from Bridgefoot into town to take advantage of the first hour free (inevitably it can’t be long before this is removed). They want to street park using either a contactless card or cash (I acknowledge the latter is expensive to handle). This would enable them to pop into a few shops for up to an hour as we used to.

Recently, I parked in Chapel Street intending to use cash or card to park to visit the butchers, the bank and a couple of other shops. In the event, I was unable to use the RingGo app and, frustratingly, drove off without spending anything in town.

At the very least, the parking meters should provide an alternative to RingGo to allow for contactless payment via card.

This would bring locals back into town enabling them to spend money on a quick shop.

Jane Hudson-Evans

LET people have one or two hours of free parking in the streets.

Jackie Knight

AS a resident I would suggest a few ideas to increase footfall to businesses in town.

1. Introduction of a loyalty card scheme for those with a CV37 postcode to include shops and restaurants, this would be helpful during the winter months especially. 10 per cent off and added benefits.

2) A robust and thorough review of all aspects of parking in the town centre. This will include over- scrupulous wardens, wide variety of costs and faulty parking meters; this does put many people off parking in town.

3) A ‘shop local’ scheme, perhaps once a month with discounts for CV37 customers.

Russell Sims

IT’S simple, make parking easier. I used to use the £10 parking pass for the Rec which gave me all day to have a coffee, do some shopping, meet a friend for lunch and not be constantly looking at the time.

Or I could pop into Stratford for a few things with no hassle.

I am unable to use apps and four hours parking for £50 a year does not appeal to me.

I’d rather go to Alcester where the parking is free and there's a good range of independent shops.

Lesley Bowen

I’VE just read all the positive reports about improving footfall in Stratford and, as a local who moved here 13 years ago from Birmingham because I love Stratford so much, what I’ve read is that parking is so difficult and expensive. On-street parking meters are a joke because you can no longer pay with cash.

How about free residents’ parking on certain Saturdays which is well advertised to encourage locals to visit the town centre?

Annette O’Hara