ANOTHER black mark against the already unpopular Sandown Town Council came when mourners were denied parking at the Broadway Centre for a planned scooter ride out for a funeral.

The Broadway Centre car park, which is large and often empty, is next door to Christ Church, where the funeral for Malcolm Butcher, a well-known Sandown man and scooter enthusiast, will take place on Wednesday at 2pm.

Friends of Mr Butcher asked the town council, which manages the Broadway Centre, if the funeral cars and a convoy of scooters could use the car park for an hour while the funeral takes place.

The request was denied — the town council said the car park would be ‘jam packed’ on that day.

Jane Midmore, close friend of Mr Butcher, said: “Sandown residents are in uproar as Butch was a Sandonian, always on the High Street with his dog, Guinness, and he was loved by all.

“It’s very upsetting that his funeral has been regarded this way by Sandown Town Council.

“The Scooter convoy is planned as a mark of respect and affection for Malcolm and the town are speechless at this lack of compassion from the council.”

Close friend of Mr Butcher and fellow member of the Sandown and District Scooter Club, Keith Carroll, said: “Malcolm was a true Sandonian, born and bred. He loved Sandown and he was a real character around the town.

“He loved 60s music and clothing and rode his scooter up until he was 74.

“He was very vocal about Sandown’s decline and liked to make a nuisance at the council meetings.

“A real character, and the town’s not quite the same without him.”

The funeral procession starts at Yaverland car park at 1.30pm.

A solution to the parking problem has been put forward by the town council.

Sandown Town Council clerk Tina Bailey said: “The Broadway Centre is not available due to the Town Council’s commitments with our regular hall hirers on February 27, but  Cllr Ian Ward has arranged with the Isle of Wight Council for the scooters to be parked in a specific area of the Heights car park for the duration of the funeral.”