A MOTHER has expressed her anger at the closure time of a popular park in Chester.
People were asked to leave Alexandra Park in Hoole at 4.30pm over the weekend and were told the closing time would be in place until the clocks change at the end of March.
The closure of the park during daylight hours has upset Hoole mum Abbey Bradley, who says she now has nowhere to take her four-year-old daughter, Daisy, to play after school.
Abbey said: “It’s just daft – there is plenty of daylight left at the time they close it and it is stopping people, especially children, from getting the most out of the park.
“I was there at the weekend with my daughter Daisy, a friend and her son and the park warden came and told us we had to leave as the park was closing.
“There were about 20 people in the park who were enjoying themselves, the sun was shining and yet everyone had to leave.
“The kids had been having fun riding their bikes. The park is the only place they can safely ride their bikes.
“Daisy was especially upset as she is doing a healthy eating programme at school and knows just how important fresh air and exercise is.
“I appreciate it wasn’t the park warden’s fault, he was just doing his job. It is the fault of the council and they need to have a look at this as the park doesn’t need to be closed so early.
The park closes its gates to the public at 4.30pm throughout the winter months and will extend its hours until 9pm when the clocks go forward at the end of next month.
Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesman Shirley Wingfield said: “During the winter months there is a 4.30pm closure for Alexandra Park. This goes on until the end of March.
“Our closure plans would have been well publicised in the local press and there was a consultation process with friends of the park.”