Parking wardens are ruining our town - Oswestry's Meat Man butcher

Butcher and health food entrepreneur Tom Brown said he was left angered after his drivers had been slapped with a second parking ticket in recent months.

The latest £70 fine came on Tuesday when his Meat Man van parked in a loading bay outside the Heat Health Food Bar in the town centre to pick up its recycling.

Mr Brown said the driver had only just gone into the premises when the ticket was issued.

“The van was in the loading area sticking out slightly, but the time on the ticket shows we had not even been a minute unloading and loading things,” he said.

“It is absolutely ridiculous. Local people are setting up local business, giving jobs to local people and just trying to make the town a better place overall.

“We were collecting items for recycling as the council won’t give us recycling bins, so we have to take them back to the ones we hire commercially.”

“It seems businesses trying to keep the town alive are getting clobbered because we are an easy target.

“We are promoting health eating and recycling, both of which help the community.”

A couple of months ago a van parked at the rear of Mr Brown’s Meat Man premises in Oak Street was issued with a ticket.

However, that fine was eventually rescinded because vehicle had been parked inside a single yellow line.

Last year a number of traders on Oswestry’s outdoor market fell foul of local regulations and ended up with parking tickets.

After posting a picture of his ticket on social media, Mr Brown received dozens of messages of support.

Town councillor Nikki Hughes said it seemed Oswestry had a ridiculous problem and said she would be looking into it.

Shropshire Councillor Joyce Barrow urged Mr Brown to email her a copy of the parking ticket.

“Unfortunately if the wheels were over the line then, technically, it may have been an offence,” she said. “But if he emails me I will take it up.”