Pharmacists have launched a campaign to create parking spaces outside their shop.

Mountford Pharmacy in East Barnet Road is calling on Barnet Borough Council to paint over double yellow lines outside the shop to make it easier for customers.

Manager Shilan Shah says he has noticed trade dwindle in recent years and blames the lack of parking in the area.

The 36-year-old said: “Customers say they want to come in and shop but they are hindered because there is just nowhere to do park.

“It’s impossible. They say they are too anxious to come and we can’t blame them, so we have to do something to help them.

“It’s disrespectful that as one of the oldest serving pharmacies in the area, we can’t even give our customers decent parking spaces.

“We want our business to grow and to give back to the local community, but at the moment we can’t.”

Mr Shah says the company’s driver and nurses often get parking tickets when he trying to load their cars with bulky medical equipment for home delivery.

Although there are roads in the area that offer free parking, they are always taken up by commuters early in the morning, leaving customers unable to park.

Instead, customers are forced to leave their cars half a mile away at either Tesco or another side street just to spend five minutes collecting a prescription.

Dilip Metha, who co-owns the pharmacy with Mr Shah, believes some of the pavement on the shopping parade could be turned into a short-stay parking space.

The 57-year-old said: “It would help us and our customers immensely. If you’re disabled you don’t have time to go walking up and down the high street to get to the chemist, it’s unfair.

“We provide a vital service but customers always complain. We just want something to be done.”

The Times Series has requested a comment from Barnet Borough Council.