Ayr taxi rank brings a load of bother

Oct 17 2008

LIFE should be cushy for a smart Ayr businesswoman selling great products.

But a taxi rank right outside Cushi Cushi has brought major problems for the shop.

“I knew nothing about it until the yellow lines went down,” said Fiona Rogers.

And when Fiona’s assistant, Jill Derwent, was loading a car, she was spoken to by a traffic warden.

“The warden was decent about it,” said Fiona.

“But Jill was told there had been a complaint from cabbies.

“And she was warned not to park there again, or she would be booked.”

“This is making it very difficult to run our business,” said Fiona.

“We have deliveries every day – cushions, curtains, lamps, materials, wallpaper, curtain poles and blinds.

“Even the sample books we take out to clients are quite weighty.

“And we have to take the full range out of the shop to show people what we can offer.

“What are we supposed to do?” asked Fiona.

“It seems the small shops haven’t been considered in this plan.

“And the ironic thing is that the taxi rank is usually empty.”

Cushi Cushi was established in Ayr’s Kyle Street just two years ago.

Fiona designs her own cushions, from fabric bought direct from mills.

A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said: “Loading is not permitted from within the taxi bay.

“But it is available from within the parking bays further along Kyle Street and on the opposite side of the road, provided it does not cause an obstruction.”