The TEK HUT was started by Ben Parker in July 2018 after 12 years as one of the team at The ICT Workshop.
Upon the retirement of THE ICT Workshop, Ben felt it was right to continue and offer the same great service customers had previously experienced but under a brand new business name, The Tek Hut.

Trading off Clevedon Road, Nailsea, it offers free parking to customers. The TEK HUT continues to offer, new laptops and PCs, upgrades, onsite support for homes and businesses through to a wide range of workshop services and accessories.
The TEK HUT provides support to clients throughout all North Somerset.

The TEK HUT

July 1st marks end of free parking in Nailsea

Tuesday, July 1, 2025, marks the end of free parking in Nailsea town centre.

Praxis, the property management company in charge of Crown Glass Shopping Centre said its decision to introduce charges was ‘taken reluctantly’ following North Somerset Council's move to implement parking charges across all its public car parks including the one at Station Road.

Parking at the Nailsea & Backwell railway station started the trend for paying although fears that it is being used for airport parking (legally) and commuters are using the free spaces at the lake grounds owned by Wessex Water have raised indignation among local people.

Way back in the 1980-90s at the gateway to the town once stood a sign proudly saying, ‘welcome to Nailsea free parking’ but this disappeared a while ago to be replaced by a simply ‘welcome’.

Cash-strapped North Somerset Council justified the move to charge as it has an enormous and growing social care costs not funded by the government.

Nailsea Town Council investigated taking over the car park and keeping it free but were thwarted by the upfront and maintenance fees demanded.

It now will cost £1 to park for an hour, £1.50 to park for two hours, £2.50 for three hours, and £3.50 for all day.

But with the side roads and routes into town becoming congested by the ‘can’t pay, won’t pay’ drivers there are fears of more double-yellow lines and residents' permits could be introduced.

The most controversial aspect is selling/leasing Clevedon Road car park to Pelican billing company for sole use of its Clevedon Walk workforce – who we are told must purchase the permits.

Back in the 1980s a planning application was submitted for Clevedon Road to build a tower block matching the height of the Wessex Water building but records for this have been lost in the passing of time .

The 24/7 move has been condemned by councillor Mike Bird who said it should be free to park in the evenings and the weekend by the community.

The Liberal Democrats ward councillor for Nailsea Yeo posted on social media: “I’m actually asking NSC why Clevedon Road is 24-hour permit only as Pelican only require it during the day Monday to Friday?”

Others voice concern about driveways being blocked and on-road parking in dangerous junctions to avoid paying at the official car parks,

And to add to the misery we learn Waitrose is to put up a barrier that allows only shoppers to use its car park and wait with bated breath to see if Nailsea Tesco follows suit.

The announcement posted on Nailsea People FB page attracted 150 comments and was viewed more than 40,000 times

One Mizzymead Road resident said: “I knew this would happen and was thinking I’d probably do the same to avoid parking charges!

“However, because of the number of cars you literally cannot see to pull off your drive it’s an accident waiting to happen!

“I can no longer turn right off my drive as you just cannot see!

“’m trying to be calm about it but the last straw was when I was trying amongst the chaos of buses, parked cars and a few HGVs to get on my drive when I got a mouthful from some charming lady in her car!“

People living in Hillcrest Road, Westway and Silver Street added to the dismay of poorly parked cars in their roads .

Ali Holbrook said: “Parking is horrendous in Westway with some people parking both sides.

“When I visit my 98-year-old Dad, it's very difficult to get on and off his drive, let alone for the carers or ambulance we have had to call a few times.

“As a family we would sometimes park in Clevedon Road car park to keep our cars off road.”

And all this is happening at the same time a 30mph speed limit on Queens Road was reinstated.

The car parks will operate under an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system.

Market stallholders have to pay and people driving to shops, doctors and pharmacists - it is too late now but when the medical centre moved to Tower House an agreement for patients to use the car park should have been made.

STOP PRESS: As of Tuesday morning, July 1, no fee machine has been installed at Stockway South car park. Praxis head of marketing Shaun Rhodes said: "We still don't have pay stations so no-go yet."...watch this space for any updates...and the M.O.M. café is offering a free drink during July to customers with current car park receipt for that day

STOP PRESS 2: Told not happening until Wednesday, July 16...

FREE FOR ALL: The saga unfurls over the weeks with the installation of payment boards and Station Road with empty spaces