Bosses at a dental practice in York fear the business will fold as staff threaten to resign over being barred from parking at work.

Restore 32 Dental Practice, in Howard Street, has been in business for 30 years.

But two months ago new resident-only parking restrictions were introduced, meaning that staff can no longer park their cars in the street.

The practice manager, Sharon Whitehead, said staff have threatened to resign, and fears that the business will cease trading if no parking alternative is put in place to support the business.

City of York Council said it introduced the restriction in response to residents’ concerns about not being able to park in their street.

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The expansion of student accommodation in the area has also meant less parking spaces are available. 

The residents permit system was expanded as residents were finding it harder to park near their home.

Sharon says she has tried explaining to the council how the scheme has affected her business, but claims it is like "talking to a brick wall.”

She said: "The council has told us to use the Park&Ride buses, but they are too expensive for our full time staff and public transport is unreliable.

"The ones that can use Park&Ride do so, but some of our staff have to drive, and they can’t park now without paying for NCP parking.

"This is beyond the means of our staff as shop worker wages aren’t huge."

A spokesperson from City of York Council said: "The introduction of resident parking in the area is in line with council policy to reduce congestion and encourage the use of sustainable transport.

"The residents permit system in York has expanded in response to the concerns of residents. The area concerned was designated a resident parking zone in response to residents’ concerns about not being able to park on their own street. 

"The business is allowed one permit for staff and has that. Separately, changes in the parking zone in the vicinity of the dentist have allowed more customer to park nearer the dentist."

However, Sharon said: "We are not tourists, we are staff coming to work from outside of York.

"I look around the streets and they are empty of cars throughout the day.

"I don’t think the residents realise that we don’t have permits, and that the nearest side street parking is two miles away.

"We don’t have an alternative place to park. We are relying on the good will of our neighbours but that isn’t a permanent solution.

"It is not fair, the council do not care about the impact on small businesses.

"I am not a lone voice, I can’t believe other parts of York aren’t affected by this.”