A PIE and mash shop owner says her high street will die if people do not start paying to park there.

June Robins, owner of Robins Pie & Mash, has been campaigning for parking charges in Wanstead High Street since Redbridge Council first proposed it four years ago.

So the 79-year-old was elated when the council confirmed a pay and display scheme is finally being introduced in February 2017.

Ms Robins opened her first pie and mash shop in Upton Park 51 years ago, but now has them in Southend, Basildon, Romford, and Chingford.

But despite living there for 30 years, she was almost ready to shut up shop in Wanstead after parking conditions became “disastrous” for business.

She said: “People park in the high street after the 10.30am cut off and their car sits there until 4.30pm while they go to Stratford or the west end.

“That has absolutely zero benefit for high street shops like me, and it means my customers have nowhere to park.

“If they do get a space, they come in for their £3.60 meal and go back to their car to find a £55 parking ticket.

“Then they never come back and tell their friends not to either – it’s a disaster.”

After the Guardian revealed plans for the pay and display parking scheme, with the first 30 minutes free, several Wanstead shop owners came out in fierce opposition.

They believe only getting 30 minutes free parking will reduce custom because people will not go into as many shops or relax while they shop.

But Ms Robins claims they are being “greedy and selfish” by not giving everyone a fair chance to park.

She said: “Small shops just can’t survive if their customers have nowhere to park.

“Five shops in Wanstead High Street are empty at the moment – it’s killing it.

“I was going to have to go as well. I had already talked to my landlord about leaving.

“But why should I have to move out of Wanstead, where I have a fantastic business right on my doorstep?”

Similar 30-minute free parking schemes are currently in place in South Woodford, Loughton, and Buckhurst Hill.

So after their “successes” Ms Robins says it will only be a matter of time before shop owners who are against the scheme change their minds.

She said: “It’s worked so well in places like George Lane and Loughton High Road.

“If we can have 30 or 40 cars parked along the high street that actually come into our shops and spend money, they’ll see what wonders it will do for business.

“We have a little community here in our shop – the pensioners love our pie and mash.

“So if people don’t want to see our lovely high street dwindle away they will do the right thing and back the scheme.”

From February, parking in Wanstead High Street will be free for the first half an hour, £1.20 for an hour, and £2.90 for two hours.

Information sessions on the scheme will take place at Wanstead Library in Spratt Hall Road between 2pm and 7pm on December 14 and 10pm and 2pm on December 17.