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After years of a joint deal between Shepway and Sandgate Councils to offer free parking at the site which Sandgate paid Shepway around £5,000 a year to keep the car park free, Shepway had demanded that the payment rose to £25,000.

The Parish Council were unable to stump up the £20,000 increase and charges have now been introduced by Shepway Council.

Cllr Prater noted that upon visiting the car park at 3.15pm on the first day charges were introduced (17 August), the car park, which he says would normally be full had just one car parked and displaying a ticket.

Lib Dem County Councillor Tim Prater has slammed the introduction of charges as hugely damaging to Sandgate.

"Introducing charges will drive people out of the car park onto nearby streets which already suffer with too little space to park and massive pressures of space.

"Given the current financial position, this simply could not come at a worse time for Sandgate - more pressure on local businesses when they least need it, and even worse, in the middle of the summer season on which so many local businesses depend as a seaside village.

"What's even more incredible is that these charges have been forced through by Conservative Shepway Council led by Sandgate District Councillor Robert Bliss. It seems he either doesn't know how much these charges will hurt his own ward, or doesn't care."