Business owners, cafe workers, and seaside visitors say it would be like “robbery” if council plans to bring in hourly charges for three free car parks go ahead.

The uproar comes after it was revealed that one coastal and two harbour town parking areas could become pay-and-display.

Free parking on the Isle of Sheppey – at the Little Oyster in Minster and the library and Park Road car parks, both in Queenborough – could be scrapped because Swale council says it needs to find “additional savings, efficiencies and revenue” to balance its books.

But Little Oyster Tea Room cook, Marilyn Ward, has started a petition to halt the plans, which could see an hour’s stay between 7am and 7pm cost £1.40, with two hours costing £2.80.

It would be £5.60 for up to four hours and any longer than that would be £7.10. From 7pm to 7am there would be a £3 fixed charge per stay.

The 62-year-old said: “People come in here every day to have a chat and sometimes they only have a cup of tea but they'll stay for a good three hours.

“Most of them, they've got nobody, and they've made so many friends in here.

“Over the last few days, they’ve been saying to me that they probably won't be able to come if there is going to be a parking charge because they won’t be able to afford it.

“Sometimes they have a pot of tea, and I just fill it up with hot water. A lot of pensioners and people with disabilities come here.

“The tea room is like a little hub and on the Island, this is everyone's favourite place.”

Marilyn explained dog walkers, runners, and families who come from far and wide use the Little Oyster car park.

It is also frequented by voluntary litter-pickers who help to keep the beach clean.

She added: “If people have to pay for parking they won't come unless they're Islanders who can walk here.

“I've got this petition up, and I've had hundreds of people come in to sign it. Some didn't come in to have a drink or anything.

“They came here to fill this petition in. We're not taking this lying down, it's terrible for the Island.

“We're just going to carry on and see what happens and, hopefully, people's power will prevail, otherwise people will be robbed.”

Simon Fowle has also set up a petition to stop the possible parking charges near his business in Queenborough.

The 66-year-old, who runs Bosuns tea room near the Park Road car park with his wife, Sandra, thinks it should remain free, especially as the council is striving to regenerate Sheppey with its £20 million Leveling Up fund – which will see new and improved leisure and health facilities being created in and around Sheerness.

He said: “We need to encourage visitors to the Island. For us in Queenborough, our car park is used by a lot of our clients from Sittingbourne, Whitstable, Faversham and Maidstone.

“They're coming out to see the sea and there's nothing else to see here, we're the only tea room and there are a couple of pubs but that is it.

“There is no high street like in Faversham, Sittingbourne, or Sheerness. It is like the council is penalising someone just for coming to visit and see the sea in a way.”

Simon, who opened Bosuns four years ago, explained nearby businesses, like the Flying Dutchman pub get incredibly busy on weekends and fears their trade would be impacted by parking fees.

“Another car park that may have fees introduced is by Queenborough library which is used by volunteers of Castle Connections, a community centre.

“It is a charity, that relies on volunteers to run it. No one's paid, it's all charitable donations, and the volunteers park in a car park. They can't pay £7 for four hours to man the desk.”

Castle Connections has been contacted for further comment.

Simon added: “I understand that the council is cash-strapped at the moment, as most councils are, but it's looking at each problem separately.

“We can't compete against the out-of-town centres where it's free parking like Neats Court, Sittingbourne Retail Park, and Bluewater – we need to be competitive.

He added: “All the businesses have struggled with Covid, with energy price rises, we've all been hit so we don't need more obstacles to try and to regrow our businesses.

“If we're going to attract visitors, we need to keep prices low.”

A spokesman for Swale council explained authorities can introduce fees to help fund council services.

He said: “Parking is an important source of revenue for us and our parking charges are essential to helping us tackle the budget gap we are facing.”

Between 2017 and 2022, Swale was the only council in Kent to lose money on its car parks, coming up £222,702 short. Canterbury, in contrast, made the most, raking in £17.9 million.

The spokesman confirmed anyone wishing to object to the proposal should send the grounds for their objection, in writing, to the Parking Services Manager quoting the name of the order to: Swale House, East Street Sittingbourne Kent ME10 3HT by Monday, February 26.

Lorraine Brown, from Milton Regis near Sittingbourne, is one of those who will be objecting.

She said: “My husband and travel to the Little Oyster cafe almost every day.

“The Little Oyster car park is convenient for us as my husband is on oxygen 24/7 but manages to get from the car to the cafe.

“If these charges are implemented this will have a major impact on how long we can stay, how many days we can go over there, and how much we can spend in the cafe.

“I like to take my husband out every day to help with his mental health as there is nothing worse than sitting within four walls all day with health issues.

“This is a great meeting place for a lot of disabled and elderly people, dog walkers, walking groups, and families as parking is free.

“If these charges are implemented this will have a huge knock-on effect on the Little Oyster cafe which would be a shame as the staff there are fantastic and always make you feel welcome.”