Sir,

If I didn't know better, I'd say that a Harry Potter villain descended on Narberth on February 1 and sucked all the life out of the town!

The arrival of the PCC parking enforcement officers has brought a once prosperous and bustling town to its knees overnight.

Since their arrival, shops are reporting the worst two weeks of trading in recent memory.

I walked the town on Monday, the streets were empty. The shops were very quiet, the Post Office was empty. I mean, Narberth Post Office empty. That's a very rare sight and cafés were empty.

People are avoiding Narberth like the plague for fear of the aggressive, over-zealous parking attendants, whose aim it seems is not to maintain parking order, but to collect as much revenue as possible. Of course, in these times of austerity, cash-strapped councils are looking to raise revenue in every area, at the expense it now seems of our local economy.

What they and central government are missing is that key to economic recovery lies with the success and entrepreneurship of small businesses.

The recent local authority rates increase coupled now with the stranglehold of parking issues is scaring our customers away; it is unlikely that most small businesses will even survive this, let alone grow or expand.

Speaking on a personal note, my customers spend at least two-three hours at my premises; the parking bays outside my property are maximum 30 minutes stay, the only public car park in Narberth is half-a-mile walk to my front door. Some customers are unable to walk that distance, so are now cancelling appointments with us. This has been the very worst trading times in my 10-year history. PCC has removed the provision to park, but offered us no alternatives.

Whilst I am not condoning irresponsible parking, the time restriction on designated parking bays is simply inadequate.

David Cameron has launched his 'big society' drive to empower communities.

This scheme and others in the future, he said, would represent 'the biggest, most dramatic redistribution of power from elites in Whitehall to the man and woman on the street'.

"There are things you do because it's your passion," he said.

"Things that fire you up in the morning, that drive you, that you truly believe will make a real difference to the country you love, and my great passion is building the big society."

'People power'

My great passion is my business, the community and the town in which I live! So come on all you traders in Pembrokeshire, stand up for your businesses against the ridiculous restrictions that will kill our towns!

What PCC needs to do is increase the time restrictions to a sensible conclusion in consultation with local traders.

We are supposed to be living in a democracy?

A fine balance needs to be reached to maintain order and encourage customers to shop in Narberth instead of making out-of-town multi-national traders with free parking a more inviting and attractive alternative.

I would like to invite the powers that be to come and see firsthand the devastating impact this penny-pinching scheme is having on the local economy.

I would also like to know who in PCC is going to accept the responsibility for the possible demise of the 'jewel in Pembrokeshire's crown' which is Narberth, if this continues.

Name and address supplied