Traders boycott business rates in protest at parking charges (From Times Series)

Traders boycott business rates in protest at parking charges

2:10pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Emma Phippen

Southgate traders intend to send their business rates bills back unpaid in protest at the new parking payment system outside their businesses.

George Kafizas, who owns Brooks Diner in Hapmden Square, is leading the fight against the pay-by-phone system of paying for parking which replaced pay-and-display in November.

Mr Kafizas, 50, from Shamrock Way, said: “Everyone in the square is against what the council has done.

“They have murdered our businesses in cold blood.”

Mr Kafizas believes that people have stopped visiting the businesses in Hampden Square, and are going to Enfield instead, because the payment system is slow and inefficient.

He argues that it can take up to 20 minutes to pay over the phone and that if you do not have a mobile phone, or if it has run out of battery, then you cannot pay at all.

The traders feel that the council has made it impossible for people to pop into their shops by introducing this new parking payment system.

Mr Kafizas said: “We need to stand up to the council. They have to help us.

“It is becoming the forgotten land here. The council just hammer us with these ridiculous ideas they come up with.

“All our hard work and investments have done for nothing and in protest I am encouraging traders and residents not to pay their council taxes and business rates this year.”

Mr Kafizas added: “I wish the whole country would just refuse to pay their bills and then the council would see who is really in charge.”

We are awaiting a response from the council.