Free parking in January to help Banbury's small businesses

Throughout January, car parks in Banbury which are operated by Cherwell will be free of charge from 3pm in a bid to entice people into town to support independent traders.

The only exception will be on New Year’s Day when parking charges will be waived for the entire day between 8am and 7pm.

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.”

As per previous years, parking will be free on January 1 so drivers can leave their vehicles in town on New Year’s Eve and collect them the following day when it is safe to drive.

Car parking charges currently apply in Cherwell District Council’s Banbury car parks between 8am and 7pm.

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.