Car parking on the northern side of the Scarborough Hotel is expected to disappear this month, as the landowner plans to fence off the area. The move could push cars onto nearby streets, potentially causing inconvenience for local residents.
Contrary to popular belief, the hotel and the car park are not owned by the same entity. The land used for parking immediately north of the hotel belongs to former pub licensee Paul Anzari, who purchased it about six years ago with the intention of using it for parking.
Mr. Anzari stated that he maintained the lot by adding asphalt, blue metal, and bumper stoppers to ensure safety. However, due to public liability concerns—he would be responsible if a pub patron were injured on the property—he has decided to fence off the land by the end of the month.
Mr. Anzari has no immediate plans for the site but is open to selling it to the hotel's new owners, Epochal Hotels, which took over in June last year. He expressed surprise that the new operators might not need the parking, noting the land's oceanfront view.
A spokesperson for Epochal Hotels confirmed that the hotel's small on-site car park is on the southern side and has been used for years. The gravel area to the north, which patrons have used informally for overflow parking, is not owned by the hotel and is zoned C3 Environmental Management, prohibiting its use as formal parking.
