Mixed views as regeneration work starts to take shape
Traders in Chard have expressed concerns over cuts to parking spaces as part of regeneration plans
It's claimed losing 28 parking spaces as part of the regeneration of Chard could damage some local businesses.
Julian Dorse, a retired long-standing butcher in the town, says many traders have expressed concern as work gets underway outside the Guildhall - claiming it'll make it harder to unload deliveries as well as for customers to visit them.
He warned: "What's happening is they're taking away so many town centre parking spaces that people are now going to lose the ability to stop and shop.
"Their aim was to regenerate the town centre and all we can see at the moment is they're pushing people away.
"People are now going to turn to the internet or out-of-town stores."
But the town's mayor, town and district councillor Jason Baker is backing the plans, saying: "I think there will be challenges and change is never easy.
"I think we have two loading bays now in the centre of town which we never had before, which are really good for assisting deliveries within the town - so we don't have to double park.
"There is a whole layout change in the centre of the town now, and it's been though a whole public scrutiny and we've had a massive event where people came and gave their views on what they thought about the town centre.
"Everyone's had some really good input into it and I think it's just really disruptive at the moment with all the work going on but I think once that's all over we should have a really nice town centre to be proud of."
Click here for more about the Chard regeneration plans