The council has raked in £260k from parking meters on a struggling seaside town high street, sparking furious protests among locals . Threatening to fine shoppers for overstaying their welcome, businesses claim the greedy meters have cut short trips to Lymington high street in Hampshire.

What was once a bustling flow of people has shrunk into a slow trickle, destroying the livelihoods of people whose income depends on these shops, say business owners. The meters were installed in 2022 and local businesses claim they have lost £80,000 in trade in the past year alone.

Demonstrations have been held in recent months, calling to reinstate the one-hour free parking to Lymington to save the local economy. Efforts have been unsuccessful, with the council rejecting a proposal to review parking

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