Business owners in Tilehurst are becoming increasingly worried due to new parking restrictions in the area. 

Muir Butt, who owns Butts Super News on Tilehurst Triangle, says that his shop has been struggling since the council took away half an hour of free parking.

"Business is dying in the area," Mr Butt said. "People aren't going pay for 30 minutes to just pop into my shop. I'm losing so much money every day."

Mr Butt, who has owned his shop for over 20 years, said that since the restriction was put in place he is taking less than three hundred pounds a day and that other businesses fear closure.

"We are all asking why. It's like the council doesn't care about us small independent businesses," He said.

Reading Borough Council has responded to the concerns by saying the decision was made in the context of freezing parking fees since the Covid pandemic.

"The cost of providing car park facilities and maintenance of those car parks has also risen significantly, as a result of increasing inflation.

 “ Set against the backdrop of every Council experiencing budget pressures because of the increased costs of providing services, we could not maintain and improve car park facilities without further investment.”