A popular Preston sandwich shop’s demise was partly due to ‘over zealous’ parking wardens – according to a councillor in the city centre.

Swarbricks, in Cross Street, announced its closure saying it was due to retirement.

But county councillor Yousuf Motala says he believes Sue and John’s closure decision was partly due to a lack of support in parking nearby.

Cllr Motala has released emails to Blog Preston showing him urging highways chiefs to implement a short stay parking bay to help local firms.

He says parking wardens were ‘hounding their customers on a regular basis’.

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Cllr Motala writes: “I feel that small businesses are being let down by strategies that do not take their issues in account and Preston as a result will continue to suffer as whole.

“I have and will always support and encourage small businesses particularly family concerns to become established and to flourish within Preston and hope that others continue to trade and remain in the city centre.

“I strongly feel that unless local regeneration and business development strategies include support for and take on board local businesses and their concerns we will see the demise of many more, something that I also feel that Preston as a city could do without specifically at a time when Preston is striving to compete with the Likes of Manchester and Liverpool.

“I sincerely hope that in future you will make every effort to listen and provide the support they had been assured was forthcoming and will be implemented sooner rather than seeing these businesses being lost forever.”

Emails show Cllr Motala expected a short-stay bay to have been implemented in early 2017 for those wanting to nip into Swarbricks for a sandwich.

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He write to county councillor Fillis in June 2016 – who was in charge of highways at the time – “The businesses would like some flexibility to allow customers at least 10 – 15 minutes to purchase goods from their shops and hope that Highways will look favourably into providing them the opportunity to do so.”

Blog Preston approached Lancashire County Council for further comment, but has yet to receive a response.

What do you think about parking in and around Cross Street? Let us know your view in the comments below