STAFF from a long-standing Bordon business criticised East Hampshire District Council for placing "hurdles" in the way of its expansion.

Service manager Barry Parker, from Bordon Tyre and Exhaust, said that efforts to expand or relocate, to cater for natural growth as well as parking issues, had been far from straightforward.

His comments followed a Bordon Herald report on the district council's loss of rent from vacant units on the Woolmer Trading Estate, discussed at its Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on October 2.

Councillors heard that, with two of the larger units on Woolmer Estate empty, if new tenants were not found, rental income will be down by tens of thousands of pounds.

Mr Parker said his firm had faced seemingly rel-entless obstacles.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.