Free parking to help boost Christmas trade

by Lisa Reeves

Wednesday 12^th November 2014

Wed 12^th Nov 2014

Cheshire East Council is scrapping charges at some of its car parks on three of the busiest shopping days before Christmas.

South Drive, Hoopers, Spring Street and the Rex car parks in Wilmslow are amongst 28 Council-owned car parks which will be free after 10am on December 6th, 13th and 20th.

Parking will also continue to be free after 3pm at Spring Street car park.

Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "We believe in putting residents and businesses first, so we have listened to them and to the town councils. This action will help our town centres to make the most of the Christmas shopping period."

Councillor David Topping, Cheshire East's Cabinet member for service commissioning, said: "Scrapping charges on these three days will reduce the cost of Christmas and boost footfall in our town centres. We are pleased to be able to support local residents and businesses in this way and to mark Small Business Day on December 6."

The Council also plans to roll out its RingGo pay-by-phone system to more car parks to make life easier for people who don't have the right change or who want to extend their parking time while they are out shopping.

Free parking after 10am on December 6th, 13th and 20th is also being introduced in the following car parks:

Macclesfield: Duke Street; Exchange Street; Churchill Way; Grosvenor Centre; Park Green; Sunderland Street; Waters Green; Town Hall
Crewe: Civic Library; Gatefield; Holly Bank; Delamere Street; Lyceum; Wrexham Terrace
Nantwich: Snow Hill; Civic Hall; Bowling Green
Congleton: Fairground; Back Park Street; Princess Street
Alderley Edge: South Street
Knutsford: Princess Street; Silk Mill Street; King Street

What do you think about the free parking in Wilmslow on three Saturdays in December? Will it boost footfall in the town? Share your views via the comment box below.

Tags:: Parking , Parking, Rex Car Park, South Drive Car Park, Spring Street Car Park

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Colin Jones

Wednesday 12^th November 2014 at 8:13 pm

This is good news for the retailers and their customers but I wonder how the news will filter through to them. Very many of the Wilmslow town centre shop managers don't live in Wilmslow so they don't see local news. Will the Council be putting up notices to tell everyone? The Spring Street multi-storey car park has been "Free after Three" every weekday for quite a long time but most people I've talked to still don't seem to know this.

Jo Crinson

Wednesday 12^th November 2014 at 9:12 pm

This is a very welcome development to support the local shops in Wilmslow centre. It's great to see the 'shop small' campaign getting some help.

Steph Sankey

Wednesday 12^th November 2014 at 9:37 pm

Great news - let's hope it has a positive effect on trade in Wilmslow.

Gary Littlewood

Wednesday 12^th November 2014 at 9:54 pm

Great, all we need now are some shops that are not charity, phone or beauty and worth going to

Laurie Atterbury

Wednesday 12^th November 2014 at 10:21 pm

Cheshire East- a bit late methinks. Have you not noticed all the shops have gone.

Diane Nguyen

Thursday 13^th November 2014 at 12:37 am

Cheshire East- 'We believe in putting residents and businesses first'....

If that was true, you would have done more to help the local businesses to bring in more trade rather than kill each business with your high rates.
How many more shops do we have to lose before you take notice?

Heddy Ghazizadeh

Thursday 13^th November 2014 at 12:42 pm

Great news at last some positive action by the council to make the shopping in Wilmslow more attractive to customers and competing with other town centre shame we have still one hour restrictions on the Main Street.I still think The council should go further and make the car park free during the course of December like Bramall and Stockport.

Sally Hoare

Thursday 13^th November 2014 at 3:53 pm

This is a great start, but the times are so specific they would be hard to memorise. The people we need to attract from outside the local area may not know these times. Heddy is right, making parking free for the whole month would be a real incentive for people to visit.
Come on Cheshire East, lets go the whole hog and do this properly.

Jamie Ross

Thursday 13^th November 2014 at 8:09 pm

Too little too late! Unless you have large amounts of cash and no limits on your mass collection of credit cards, there isnt much for shoppers to buy. Whats more, and apologies for being so negative on this but the Artisan market is no better....with the exception of a few, it seems that some of the stall holders seem to think that buying cheap rubbish from China and passing it of as artisan crafts is honest?? There are some nice stalls with some great products....but the market is let down by delboy style traders out to fish the Wilmslow pond for a quick profit. Im a life long Wilmslow resident and love the area, but the council need to try harder than that for Christmas!

Haidee Prosser

Saturday 6^th December 2014 at 11:41 am

Great news and very helpful during the festive period. It would be even better if one of these Wilmslow car parks was free 24/7!