A SERIOUS lack of holiday-season parking in Watchet needs drastic solutions like park-and-ride schemes and the compulsory purchase of land for extra car park spaces, the town’s angry traders urged this week.

“The current lack of parking during the holiday season is costing virtually every business in Watchet a lot of potential income and causing visitors frustration and upset,” said business owner Chris Moiser, a member of Watchet Residents’ Association.

And a spokesman for Watchet Chamber of Trade, added: “The town needs at least another 100 holiday parking spaces linked to a park and ride system.

“We have tried for years to get council support for this but no-one wants to know. It is very possible that in the future lack of parking space and excessive housing developments could eventually kill our town.”

Campaigners are targeting the site of the now-derelict Wansborough paper mill, closed in 2015 and now demolished.

In 2020 developers Tameer Homes submitted plans for housing, sheltered accommodation, retail units and a hotel. Somerset West and Taunton planners have yet to make a decision on the application.

WACET is urging that the site is linked to the town by a park-and-ride facility which would avoid visitors walking down the busy Brendon Road.

The WACET spokesman added: “The parking situation in Watchet is increasingly dire and things need to be sorted out quickly. This is a district council problem.”

He said that one suggestion - to lease car parking space at the mill and run a bus service in the town - had failed through lack of funding although money had been available from government tourism funds.

Mr Moiser said: “Now the nominations are in for Watchet town council and there is to be an election I wonder if we could ask the prospective candidates for their views on the following statement: Immediately after the new town council is formed it should approach the district, county and unitary authorities to ask that the process - for a compulsory purchase order for the northern sector of the mill site - is immediately commenced with a view to establishing a new car park.

“This is ultimately the only realistic place for such a car park. At the moment it is a brownfield site virtually doing nothing. Sorting out adequate parking for the future is one of the most important factors for the future of Watchet.”

Mr Moiser said the situation was being made worse by an increase in traffic caused by the success of the marina and street markets and the increase in town centre businesses.

Businessman Roger Ham, who runs an antiques gallery in the town, said: “The problem will soon be on us again. This matter has been ongoing for years and it is time it was resolved.”

A Swain Street shopkeeper, who asked not to be named, said: “Every summer for as long as I can remember the main topic of conversation with visitors is how bad the parking is and how - although they like the place - they will have second thoughts about coming again. But no-one seems prepared to do anything about it.”

This week Watchet Conservation Society added its support for a car park on the paper mill site. “It is absolutely essential that the town has another major car park,” said society president Bob Cramp.

“In summer it is a familiar sight to see visitors driving into town and driving away because there is simply nowhere to park. “I would suggest that 200 new parking spaces would be a more realistic figure.”

Mr Cramp added that the society was also pressing for the paper mill land to be used for an alternative route for the B3191 to replace the coastal road threatened with erosion. “We could solve two major Watchet problems at once,” he said. “It seems like a no-brainer to me!”