Cutbacks on free parking at Christmas (From Worcester News)

Cutbacks on free parking at Christmas

8:50pm Friday 24th October 2008 in

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TRADERS are “disgusted” at a decision to withdraw free car parking on weekends leading up to Christmas.

In recent years, car parking has been free in Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) car parks every Friday and Saturday in December.

But this year shoppers will only be able to park for free on the final Christmas shopping weekend, Friday and Saturday, December 19-20.

MHDC spokesman Ivor Pumfrey said the council had to balance the cost of offering concessionary car parking against financial pressures.

But Great Malvern Assoc-iation of Traders (GMAT) chairman Robin Elt said the decision was “appalling”.

“The traders are disgusted about this and we all believe the district council is being pretty miserly over this issue,” he said.

“The revenue that they make from this is probably pretty minimal and we think that they should be extending the spirit of Christmas to the community as a whole.”

Fellow GMAT member Chris Marks, co-owner of the Iapetus Gallery in Belle Vue Terrace, believes traders will suffer as a consequence.

“The free parking helps to encourage more people into the town to come and spend their money here rather than in Worcester of Hereford,” he said. “It is a shame that the council cannot support the traders more.

MHDC leader Serena Croad said the authority simply could not afford to offer free weekend parking throughout the month of December.

“Our car parking revenue is considerably down on previous years when we have offered this,” she said.