Not going to say anything about traffic wardens - it's all been said already. But I do think the shop owners are being idiots for parking outside their own shops, or in spaces near their own shops.
I had a studio for about 4 years in one location, and about halfway in, the marked bay right outside the shop changed from unrestricted parking to 2 hours. No announcement, just a little plate appeared on a post right outside my door. The traffic warden on his first "pass" through the town popped in to make sure I was aware the situation had changed so I could move my car from outside - it wasn't even mine, it belonged to the owner of a neighbouring shop who routinely parked there.
As far as I was concerned, restricting parking would be a godsend because the public would start parking there and my shop front wouldn't be blocked by the same obstruction for eight hours. I was right - traffic through the door increased threefold - didn't stop me having to wind it up though
