John … you might be spending a little too much time in Ely …

I suspect that the complainers prefer to park ascloseastheypossiblycan to the shop they want to go in. I often see wobbly-bellied men virtually ram-raid newsagents to get as close to the door as they can to speed up their purchase of 20 Benson and Hedges and a Lucky Dip lottery ticket.

I have to agree with Mr. Glover, I have never had any real problems parking in Ely.

Ely’s historic look’s and picturesque setting is going to look great once the streets are covered in parking signage, and parking zones. And the only shops that survive are the one’s that we use, it’s no use complaining about it, if you want certain shops to stay or be attracted to the area then we must use them, Ely is becoming a great place to shop for cards and have a coffee or tea.

The proposed parking charges for Ely are surely only being proposed to subsidise the need for a park & ride to the glorious(!) new council offices on the outskirts of town.

I am lucky enough to work in Ely’s centre at Alexander House, adjacent, for those who don’t know, to the large short and long stay car parks in the town centre. My office overlooks these car parks and except on market day on Thursday’s I can honestly say the short term car park is rarely, if ever full. The long stay car park is admittedly often full but there is a poorly sign posted car park just around the corner in Lisle Lane always has space, however I was informed by the recent consultation representatives that this land is not owned by the council and the lease would not be renewed by the current owners who wish to develop on the land (adding to the parking problems).

Whilst I applaud any long term ideas and planning for Ely, I do hope the council come to the conclusion that parking charges are not necessary just yet, or at least until other options such as a park and ride scheme is in place, not before. Charges will only drive people 20 minutes to Cambridge, where, lets face it, much more is available for a very small park and ride fee.

As an aside I have to say I can’t agree with many of the negative comments here regarding the development of Ely. Surely, time softens the edges of harsh memories. I remember Ely as being quite run down and souless in the early eighties. Its benefitted from the regional strength of the area and it’s well served train station, but i do believe, on the whole development of Ely, which will always be a compromise, has been sensible and helped to make it the vibrant and young growing city it is today.

I only wish Ely’s residents were truly consulted more on changes rather than the thinly veiled attempts to sell decisions that the council calls “consultation”.

Great site… nuff said…

I am 42 years old and have been driving since 1982. In all of that time I have lived in the Ely area. In 25 years of driving I have never failed to find a parking space in Ely. Never. Not once.

Not sure how that equates into English currency.

With the strength of sterling about 0.0001p

First I want to say as an American and a proud one, you are right. We do have those who feel they must push every part about us onto others in other lands. Which is so strange because really since we did the slick job on the Native Americans here in this counrty we are from every other land.
Knowing that we seem to melt everything together and it becomes the gospel, we want everyone else to see it that way.
Than you have the totally ironic thing in this country. We push the fact, people should be able to maintain thier own heritage and have thier way of life preseved at the price of our own that we so adamantly push onto the rest of the world.
I guess it is hard to see things when you are living them, but for all of our short falls I am still a proud American who sees the value of knowing and being respectful to others who say or do things a little different than myself.
Thank you for this chance to put my 2 cents in, not sure how that equates into English currency.
Mike (mike pete)

There you are … I just knew there had to be one!

I can’t quite see what the problem is. It should be obvious to anyone that there are too many cars in Ely town centre and that it’s a much pleasanter place during the periods when it’s pedestrianised. Whether that’s a sufficient reason for introducing parking fees is another question, but it’s not the self-evidently stupid idea some people seem to think it is.

And what’s so terrible about the shops? There’s a music shop, an excellent and enterprising book shop, and a smattering of independents selling bags, repairing shoes and so on. What do we want? Top Shop? A Virgin Record Store? To turn Market Square back into a car park? For goodness’ sake…

Ely’s not perfect, particularly late on Friday and Saturday nights when the yoof of the town race along the High Street in their little cars, or stumble out of the night-club shouting endearments or obscenities at each other as the mood and alcohol takes them, but it’s not bad.

There’s quite a bit going on in Ely, as this ezine attests. It lacks the vibrancy of Cambridge of course, it’s short of good restaurants, and I’m unaware of even a single decent cafe, but be fair – it’s only a little town.

There you are – a supporter, albeit with some reservations.

Since I have never heard a good comment yet concerning the transformation and restoration of Ely … I thought it might be interesting to ask if such a person does exists! Is there anyone out there anywhere … in the universe … who thinks the look of Ely is an improvement and the amenities are up to scratch – aside from the local city council that is?
I’m sure there’s at least one person who can say that their aesthetic and consumer needs are met in Ely!

Nancy does have a point, in the early 80s Ely was a bustling Market (Town) City, on Thursdays as well as the Market on the square we also had a very busy cattle market and auction house where Waitrose now stands. And lets not forget the wonderful White Hart Pub that was converted into retail units. How on earth this historical building (dating back to the 15th century) never got a preservation order is beyond me.

Hmm, I sometimes forget what a wonderful command of the english language you have and it makes me very proud when I’m reminded.
I think anyone traveling anywhere that maintains their own dignity will be accepted and small errs of any kind will be over looked. I have complete faith that you will always maintain your dignity so you shouldn’t fret.
However, in Canada its “eh” and aye, so far as I know, is a nautical expression.
Love, Dad Pete

Lets face it whatever ECDC touches ends in disaster. You only have to look at the disaster that is the Market Square (or red square as it is now known), it is busy on the market days (Thursday and Saturday), but the rest of the week it is a great empty space. At least a few years ago it had a use when not used for the markets, it was a car-park.

And don’t get me going on the feeble attempt at pedestrianisation where we have a High Street that is ACTUALLY WORSE than it was prior to the renovations.

Twenty five years ago Ely City Centre was a hive of activity and had all it’s High Street & Market Street premises occupied. It had a purpose built Post Office, a Bus Depot (with waiting room), a City Centre Cinema. Today all these have been renovated into retail outlets while we have a temporary Post Office, part-time cinema and people having to crowd Market Street pavements waiting for buses. Progress indeed!

So ECDC is doing a great job in convincing the public that what they propose is the way forward.

And then there is the absolute madness of spending millions on relocating their offices. Maybe that money should be used to keep Ely FREE!