WHEN it comes the Magdalen Road area of East Oxford, there is not much Dennis Pratley does not know.

An Oxford man born and bred, he has run his barber shop in Hertford Street for 41 years and is a respected and popular member of the community.

So, when the 61-year-old says a new controlled parking zone could force his and many other businesses to close, we should all sit up and take notice.

The area is one of Oxford’s success stories — a thriving and diverse community where mainly independent businesses and residents coexist happily.

Oxfordshire County Council believes the zones will help safeguard residents’ parking.

It points to three consultations with people in the area as reasons behind the decision.

But it’s hard to ignore long-established businesses fighting these proposals and claiming they could be forced from the city.

Independent traders are a vital part of both Oxford’s economy and identity, and no price should be put on their survival.