Flower Market Ban Raises Concern About Parking Space Loss
Is M&S about to take over two car parks for expansion project?
Chiswick Common Road Car Park by Bond Street
May 25, 2025
A new parking restriction imposed on the Chiswick Flower Market has raised concerns about the potential impact of the work to expand Marks and Spencer on parking space in the centre of Chiswick. The move by the council was revealed at a recent Licensing Panel meeting which was discussing the renewal of the market's licence.
Market organiser Ollie Saunders told those present at the meeting on Tuesday 20 May that he had been informed that the flower market traders would no longer have exclusive use of the car park on Bond Street by Chiswick Common Road on the first Sunday of the month. When the market was set up in 2020, it was agreed that this car park should be closed off the night before to allow traders' vehicles sole use. Typically, this meant that around 23 vehicles including vans could be left in the 16-space car park.
Mr. Saunders said that no explanation was given for the withdrawal of this privilege in the email received from the council. A local residents' group has been calling for market vehicles not to be allowed to park in the vicinity of Chiswick Common Road including streets outside the car park, but Cllr Ron Mushiso observed that this measure would be counterproductive forcing vehicles into resident parking spaces. Cllr Joanna Biddolph and Jackie Elton of the Mid-Chiswick Residents' Association argued for more wide-ranging controls on parking by traders on market days.
However, it has been observed that the car park at Bond Street is directly at the rear of one of the buildings that Marks and Spencer recently announced it intends to incorporate into an expanded store. Car parks on Chiswick Common Road have previously been temporarily taken over for storage of building materials during larger construction projects. Concern has been expressed that, such is the size of the retailer's expansion project, that it would be necessary to take over, not just the car park used by the traders, but also the other nearby car park by the rear exit of Marks and Spencer.
When we put these concerns to Hounslow Council and asked for an explanation as to why the Chiswick Flower Market had lost its exclusive right to the car park, its response did not directly address this part of the question.
Cllr Biddolph said she was unaware until the meeting that the Flower Market would no longer be able to use the car park and no indication has been given as to which department made the decision.
The store on the High Road is expected to close in the middle of June and then work will begin on incorporating the units on either side to create more floor space for an expanded store.
Currently this work is scheduled to be completed in mid-November with the intention of having the newly fitted out store up and running for Christmas.
Chiswick Common Road car park by the rear exit of M&S
Councillor Shivraj Grewal, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Recycling and Transformation at Hounslow Council, said , “It is important to stress that the car park is still free for Chiswick Flower market operators. However, for fairness, we are exploring how local residents and other market stall operators can have access to the car park along with Chiswick Flower Market.
“All of Chiswick’s fantastic Sunday markets have played an integral role in revitalizing Chiswick’s local economy after the pandemic and cementing our reputation as a destination borough that serves local communities and attracts visitors from far and wide.
“We will continue to work closely with Chiswick Flower Market and other market traders to ensure their enterprises can flourish and grow.”
The renewal of the flower market's licence is understood to be a formality. However, should one or both of the Chiswick Common Road car parks be lost to public use for the next few months this would significantly exacerbate existing parking problems for residents, market traders and visitors to Chiswick.
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