FISH and chip shop owner Mark Dana has hit back at criticism of staff parking on a grassed area next to his premises in Warren Road, Minehead.

Mr Dana said he and his employees had little choice because the district and county councils had made it so difficult to park near the seafront.

He said the authorities were also hampering parking for neighbouring business Channel Training, which was housed in a building rented from the district council.

Mr Dana said: “Any vehicles that park on the grass are directly connected to both businesses and my accommodation.

“Yellow lines have been painted to stop us parking on the pavement.

“There is sometimes limited parking 200 to 300 metres away in Trinity Way but this is residential parking for those residents and can also be problematic.

“It is also no good for my day to day running around for shopping and general business requirements.

“Parking on the seafront for the day is £6-ish and not always available, and again 100 metres either side.”

Mr Dana said that was why he and staff of Channel Training used the grass area, which had not been damaged by the activity.

He accepted it was questionable whether vehicles should be driven over the pedestrian crossing but it was done carefully and only when it was empty.