Parking meter change not well-received

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- It's been a few weeks now since New Haven stretched the hours that people need to feed the parking meters. And now a lot of Elm City business owners say the change is hurting their business.

Parkers like Donna Van Fleet are losing their patience to pay.

"Like the fleet of quarters I just put in this meter," said Fleet.

She says the new fining until nine is counter-intuitive.

"If this is intended to encourage people to spend downtown, all your money's going in the meter, this is absurd," Fleet said. "It's absurd."

"Why should you have to pay for parking just to come to dinner," asked Donna Martin.

Patrick Hogan agrees, you can hear his Irish Brogue running Kelly's Gastropub.

"Personally speaking I think they're killing business in downtown New Haven," said Hogan, "people have stopped coming down here."

He says when they do come in they don't stick around.

"They're only having a beer and entree, and getting the hell out of here and going home because it's the meter," Hogan said.

A couple streets over and a different European accent, Jean Michel manages the Union League Cafe.

He's kept creative. Sometimes his staff will peer out of windows for leering meter maids and help their diners.

"I think the attitude of the parking department is not cooperative with business and it doesn't help the economy of the city," said Michel.

A few doors down at Celtica, he says they're fighting an overall parking perception.

"The general consensus is that people just don't like coming down because of the aggravation of having to park downtown," said Sergio Berardwli, Celtica owner.