[dropcap type =”circle”]S[/dropcap]hoppers looking to bag a bargain in the January sales can make their first saving in Cherwell District Council car parks which will be free after 3pm for the first month of the year.
Throughout January, car parks in Banbury and Bicester which are operated by Cherwell will be free of charge from 3pm in a bid to entice people into town to support independent traders.
Cllr George Reynolds, Cherwell’s deputy leader, said: “After the burst of sales in the lead up to Christmas January can be a quiet time for the traders so we want to lend our support by offering an incentive to encourage people into town. We know people would like us to offer free parking all year round but unfortunately it is just not viable at the moment but that doesn’t mean we can’t offer some gesture of encouragement.
“By offering free parking after 3pm we can benefit the retail shops as well as evening businesses such as restaurants and pubs. By coming into town in the afternoon, people can park for free while they do some shopping and carry on into the evening with a bite to eat or trip to the cinema.”
Car parking charges currently apply in Cherwell District Council’s Banbury and Bicester car parks between 8am and 7pm. There is no charge to park in Kidlington car parks as these are covered by a covenant preventing fees being introduced.
Participating Cherwell District Council car parks will be clearly signed. As it is not a car park, the Bridge Street drop off point in Banbury will not be included in the promotion.
Normal parking charges will apply between 8am and 3pm and all car parks will remain subject to the standard regulations such as time restrictions. Stay limits will still apply after 3pm as will all other regulations as stipulated on the information boards on site.
For more information on Cherwell District Council’s car parks including details of participating car parks visit www.cherwell.gov.uk/carparks
