{"id":21063,"date":"2026-04-24T10:28:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T10:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/21063\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T10:28:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T10:28:59","slug":"queenborough-at-war-with-swale-council-after-car-parking-charges-introduced-at-free-car-parks-on-sheppey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/21063\/","title":{"rendered":"Queenborough at war with Swale council after car parking charges introduced at free car parks on Sheppey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A harbour town is at war with its council after new car parking charges were introduced at free car parks.<\/p>\n

For years, drivers have been able to visit Queenborough, on Sheppey<\/a>, and its host of small independent businesses without having to pay.<\/p>\n

\"The\"TheThe empty Queenborough Library car park on April 1. Picture: Mike Whiting<\/p>\n

But on April 1, Swale council started charging at Park Road and Queenborough Library car parks.<\/p>\n

Fees were also introduced at Front Brents in Faversham<\/a>, Grafton Road in Sittingbourne<\/a>, Little Oyster in Minster, and Halfway car park in Minster Road.<\/p>\n

In Queenborough, there has been major backlash, with traders saying they are losing footfall, pubs barring councillors and even a car parking meter being vandalised.<\/p>\n

The new fares were approved<\/a> at the council\u2019s Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee in November and at a later full council meeting.<\/p>\n

Parking charges across the borough are expected to generate \u00a32.7 million of revenue for the authority in the 2025\/2026 financial year.<\/p>\n

The new fees could raise an extra \u00a336,000 a year for the cash-strapped council, which had to fill a \u00a31.7 million budget gap<\/a> with money from its reserves to balance its books.<\/p>\n

\"Park\"ParkPark Road car park in Queenborough on May 16. Picture: Joe Crossley<\/p>\n

It has cost \u00a350,000 to implement the charges, funded by Swale\u2019s Civil Enforcement Reserve.<\/p>\n

But now they are in force, Queenborough traders have told KentOnline the car parks are \u201cempty\u201d, much like their businesses.<\/p>\n

Simon and Sandra Fowle, the owners of Bosuns, in the High Street, have been fighting against new parking fees since plans for them were first put forward in February 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Councillors voted against those plans a month later<\/a>. But when the new fees were brought back on the table, they started a petition to show people were against the proposals.<\/p>\n

\"Simon\"SimonSimon Fowle, outside his business, Bosuns, in Queenborough. Picture: Megan Carr<\/p>\n

It gathered around 2,000 signatures. Other petitions calling for charges not to be brought were also set up and raised another 2,000 signatures.<\/p>\n

The tea room sits opposite the Park Road car park, which makes it easy for motorists to visit.<\/p>\n

Simon, who is a former Queenborough ward councillor, spoke out against them at the November meeting. He said: \u201cBusinesses are struggling already, and this is just another nail in our coffin. It\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

This week, Sandra said that while she \u201cunderstands\u201d the council\u2019s need to raise funds, it has not listened to the concerns of businesses.<\/p>\n

The 61-year-old said: \u201cIt’s two o’clock in the afternoon and we’re now empty.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmall businesses are the ones that are really struggling. Everything’s gone up, not just for us, but for everyone.<\/p>\n

\"Sandra\"SandraSandra Fowle owner of Bosuns in Queenborough High Street. Picture: Meghan Shaw<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy should visitors have to pay for car parking charges?<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re coming to Queenborough, you\u2019re here to support small businesses. It\u2019s not a great big place where you\u2019ve got other things to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand there’s a reasoning behind it, but you should listen to the people who speak, and we’re the ones who voted them in. They’ve chosen to ignore us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bar manager at the nearby Flying Dutchman, Fayleigh Mcilory, says the Park Road car park is \u201cempty every single day\u201d.<\/p>\n

The 31-year-old said: \u201cIt\u2019s affecting us massively.<\/p>\n

\"Manager\"ManagerManager of The Flying Dutchman pub, in Queenborough, Fayleigh Mcilory. Picture: Meghan Shaw<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the week, we’ve usually got people in the garden when the sun’s out [like today]. But we’re having no one coming in at the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201c[It\u2019s] very, very quiet. Everything has halved at least.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s worrying because we’ll end up closing if we don’t get busy, so we need it to go back to free parking.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pub has a notice in the window with a list of the barred councillors<\/a> who voted for the charges.<\/p>\n

It’s not the only Queenborough business to do this, with the Rose Inn, The Old House at Home and Admiral’s Arms pubs also taking the measure.<\/p>\n

\"'You're\"'You're‘You’re Barred!’ Ten Swale councillors have been banned from visiting four pubs in Queenborough. Picture: Meghan Shaw\"The\"TheThe Flying Dutchman has barred councillors from visiting it<\/p>\n

The banned councillors are: Angela Harrison (Lab, Sheerness); Lloyd Bowen (Con, Teynham & Lynsted); Shelley Cheesman (Lab, Homewood, Sittingbourne); Charles Gibson (Lib Dem, Abbey, Faversham); James Hunt (Con, The Meads); Carole Jackson (Lab, St Anne\u2019s, Faversham); Charlie Miller (Lab, Chalkwell, Sittingbourne).<\/p>\n

Cllr Dolley Wooster (Lab, Sheerness), who did not vote for the charges but is the chairwoman of the committee, has also been barred.<\/p>\n

Cllr Hunt said while he had never been in the pub before, it was a \u201creal shame\u201d.<\/p>\n

But he added: \u201cWe made the right decision as councillors to keep the council on the right financial footing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cllr Gibson said: \u201cWe have a borough of many communities and we all have to play our part and pay our way.<\/p>\n

\"Faversham\"FavershamFaversham councillor Charles Gibson. Picture: Meghan Shaw<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s little free car parking in Faversham or Sittingbourne. Those car parks on the Island were a bit of an exception, so we are levelling the playing field.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would love to have free car parking all over the borough. It would be great for our businesses and residents.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut sadly, in the current financial climate, it\u2019s not possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cllr Shiel and Cllr Bowen declined to comment.<\/p>\n

KentOnline has approached Cllrs Harrison, Cheesman, Jackson, Miller, Thompson and Wooster for comment.<\/p>\n

The boss of Luna\u2019s Cafe in Railway Terrace, Fedat Surucu, has also barred the councillors.<\/p>\n

\"Fedat\"FedatFedat Surucu boss of Luna’s Cafe in Railway Street, Queenborough. Picture: Meghan Shaw<\/p>\n

The 48-year-old, who started the business almost three years ago, says he has started reimbursing customers for their first hour of parking.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cParking is the biggest problem on the Island at the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis affects my business so much because people have to spend a minimum of an hour to eat here.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the customers love my food and my service, and I don’t want to lose my customers. I am offering them to pay them for their first hour of parking.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut if this is the same for the next year, it will cost me too much money.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel sorry for my customers because they just spend only a little bit of money [here] and they have to pay \u00a31.60 an hour for parking. It’s too much to charge.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe council should give the first two hours free, then charge anytime after that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ray Butcher, the chairman of non-profit community group Castle Connections, says the Knit & Natter Group, run by Age UK has stopped using their hub in Railway Street because of the charges.<\/p>\n

Around a dozen different groups, ranging from mum\u2019s clubs to dance and martial arts schools, use the facilities, which is in front of the Queenborough Library car park.<\/p>\n

\"Janice,\"Janice,Janice, Marilyn Ward and Ray Butcher, of Castle Connections, celebrate the decision to not bring in parking charges in March 2024<\/p>\n

The new parking meter was sprayed with white paint<\/p>\n

just a day after the fees were introduced. It is still out of operation at the time of writing (April 22).<\/p>\n

Mr Butcher, 76, says some of the other clubs are threatening to go elsewhere as well.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThe car parks are empty most of the time and residents are complaining about it. It\u2019s a real issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe told the council what would happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not blaming the councillors. I am blaming the officers as they put forward the plans.<\/p>\n

\"The\"TheThe new parking metre in Queenborough Library car park has been vandalised<\/p>\n

\u201cThey need to revoke the charges, but they won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Swale council spokesman said: \u201cOur car parks and parking services incur ongoing maintenance and operational costs, which must be managed as part of our legal obligation to set a balanced budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cRevised parking charges remain lower than those in many neighbouring coastal areas and bring the affected sites in line with other car parks across the borough, including those in Sheerness, Sittingbourne, and Faversham.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeedback received from statutory consultations led to changes in the original proposals, including the removal of charges during school drop-off and pick-up times at selected car parks to address safety concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeasonal pricing has also been introduced at the Little Oyster and Park Road car parks to help manage demand during peak periods, while maintaining availability for residents during quieter times of the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere at Swale, we want to support high streets and continue to assist small businesses through measures such as business rates relief. With the alignment of parking charges now in place we will review the impact of our policies across the borough, in due course.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2024, local amateur historian Desmond Cross tracked down the Queenborough Charter, dating back to 1369, which said the harbour town was \u201cexempt from all taxes and tolls\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Amateur\"AmateurAmateur historian Desmond Cross in the Flying Dutchman pub, Queenborough\"The\"TheThe original copy of the Queenborough charter dates back to 1369. Picture: Des Cross\/ Kent Archives<\/p>\n

Despite the Charter\u2019s discovery, it would not have turned the area \u2013 which the latest government deprivation research found was among the poorest places in the UK \u2013 into the new Monaco, Isle of Man or Liechtenstein.<\/p>\n

Read more here: Hopes dashed for Queenborough Charter to make harbour town into a tax-free haven<\/a><\/p>\n

After some research, Swale council confirmed the charter had been superseded when the borough of Queenborough was reformed as a municipal borough in 1885.<\/p>\n

Additional reporting Meghan Shaw <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A harbour town is at war with its council after new car parking charges were introduced at free…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21064,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[3863,309,14,1118,5,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-21063","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uk","8":"tag-isle-of-sheppey","9":"tag-kent","10":"tag-politics","11":"tag-syndicate","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116459219396984753","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21063"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21063\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}