Sale day woe for auction (From Gazette Series)

Sale day woe for auction

THE ALREADY overwhelming parking and traffic problems in Wotton-under-Edge could get even worse after an application for more sale days at the Wotton Auction Rooms was turned down.

Auctioneer Philip Taubenheim said: "Three additional sale days would have given us the flexibility for smaller specialist sales rather than forcing us to take the alternative route of larger sales.

"I can now foresee the volume of these sales increasing, a situation we would have rather avoided."

Stroud District Council's development control committee voted by a clear majority to refuse the application to increase the number of sale days at the auction rooms from 25 to 28.

Refusal was moved because councillors believed that the significant traffic problems in the town would be made even worse by more sale days.

In beginning the debate, Cllr Sarah Lunnon (Green, Valley), who admitted she did not know the town well, asked if there was a car park close to the auction rooms.

Development control manager Ian Gobey replied: "The car park is 100 yards away but every time I have been to Wotton it has been substantially full."

The view was backed up by one of the councillors from the Wotton ward.

Cllr Paul Smith (Lib Dem, Wotton) said: "I accept that it brings people into the town who spend money, but there is nothing like sufficient parking to deal with the number of people who come to the auctions."

He added that the road outside the auction room frequently became blocked due to deliveries and collections in the run up to and aftermath of sales.

Cllr Smith continued: "Tabernacle Pitch gets completely clogged up for as much as 15 minutes at a time. It is very narrow and drivers often park inconsiderately in front of people's drives."

Cllr Timothy Frankau (Con, Dursley) added that three extra days of sales could mean an extra three weeks of inconvenience for nearby residents.

However, not every councillor was against keeping the current restrictions on the auction rooms.

Cllr Janet Wood (Ind, Coaley and Uley) said: "It seems such a shame that on one hand we are trying to encourage people to come to towns like Wotton, yet we are turning this down."

There was also support from Cllr Len Tomlins (Con, Hardwicke) who said: "I would much rather see the town all blocked up with traffic than for it to be empty." A clear majority of councillors then voted against allowing the number of sale days to be increased.

Mr Taubenheim told the Gazette that the decision was a blow not just to himself but to all traders in the Wotton.

He said: "We are disappointed for ourselves, our neighbours and fellow traders in the town who benefit from visitors when our sales are held.

"Buyers attend from all parts of the country and spend money in many of the shops here while others stay overnight in local accommodation."

Mr Taubenheim also pointed out that the only other auction room under the jurisdiction of the district council, Stroud Auction Rooms in Rodborough, can operate up to 60 sale days a year.

However, the Wotton Auction Rooms have vastly inferior parking arrangements, which was exactly the reason for the refusal of the application.