Owners of a café in a Stoke-on-Trent nature reserve are calling for changes to car parking following concerns from customers.

Westport Lake Café says that the cost of parking can discourage customers from being out in nature and visiting the facility.

The café was taken over in March this year on a ten year lease with Stoke-on-Trent City Council by Joanne Upton, Corinne Mannion and Amy Mansfield.

Until November 2021 parking was free, however charges have since been introduced.

Since taking over the trio have noticed increasing comments from customers about parking charges.

Currently it costs £1 for one hour, £1.50 for up to three hours and £3 for all day.

Jo Upton said: "Every social media post we put up, whether we're advertising a special, or advertising a breakfast, we get comments like 'how much is it really when you include parking'. It becomes a big topic on most posts.

Parking currently costs £1 for one hour, £1.50 for up to three hours and £3 for all day (image via Nub News)

"I just think there are a lot of different things the council can do.

"I know there are some council car parks attached to pubs where they have got a screen and people go in and put their registration in and then they don't have to pay for parking, maybe we can do something like that.

"I also think in the quieter months in the winter period where people aren't necessarily just coming to use the lake and then maybe visit the café, we get that in the Summer, we don't get that in the Winter, certainly on poor weather days this place is dead.

"You could have two or three people in the whole day and as a business that is not sustainable.

"As a business we've got to think about paying wages, we've got a set number of staff behind the counter."

In response Stoke-on-Trent City Council said that parking charges have not changed since 2021 however they are open to initiatives to increase footfall.

A spokesperson at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: "The parking charges at Westport Lake have remained unchanged since November 2021.

"All revenue from the charges goes back into supporting the park's management, including CCTV, litter picking and community safety initiatives. 

"It seems that we have received no direct contact from our tenants at Westport Lake café in relation to this matter.

"If they would like to raise their concerns with us directly, we will be more than happy to talk to them. 

"The idea of allowing café customers to reclaim parking charges when using the café seems, on the face of it, to be a positive initiative by the tenant to drive footfall.

"We have no objections to them implementing such a scheme at their own cost."