FRUSTRATED shoppers will once again be able to continue parking outside a Shoebury post office after Southend Council agreed to move a sign.

The council had put up a residents-only parking sign outside Station News in Shoebury High Street.

The shop also houses the town’s post office, but owner Harish Panchal said customers were avoiding the store since the sign went up in October.

Passing drivers wrongly believed they could not park at all but in fact three bays with 20-minute parking are still available to non-residents.

The business relies heavily on passing trade from motorists.

Signs had been put up marking the bays for residents use only between 10am and 2pm alongside the 20-minute stop signs.

Mr Panchal called on the council to move the confusing new sign – and his pleas have been answered.

Shoebury councillor Nick Ward said: “Myself and fellow Shoebury councillor Ann Chalk got together to see about moving the sign.

“The sign will have to stay but we are talking with officers about moving it slightly away from business frontages. “Officers have agreed to have more bays so there will now be seven bays outside Station news and the hairdressers there.”

Mr Panchal, who has had to reduce staff cover due to the drop in trade, said: “It is very good news, the best we could have hoped for. It was bad for business. We’ve had the post office in here since October 2015 and usually the run up to Christmas is very busy. This year it is the quietest I’ve ever known it.

“While it is good news it won’t happen straight away so I’ve contacted the council about getting some sort of temporary sign. Otherwise we are likely to have to wait until after Christmas.”

A permit zone was introduced in the area at the request of local residents. A resident survey was carried out to ascertain clear support for such a zone.

The council said regulations relating to such zones require the signage is placed within a prescribed distance of the point the area begins so officers were limited as to positioning.

A spokesman for the council said: “We note the concerns raised and are currently investigating whether the sign can be moved a very small distance away.”