FREE parking or reduced rates for special events could be on the cards, if Wychavon District Council agrees to Droitwich Town Council’s request.
The calls came at the town council’s Communities and Amenities Committee meeting on Monday night when the proposal to offer free parking on November 26 for the annual Christmas lights switch-on was rubber-stamped.
During those discussions, it was mentioned the weather was not the best for last year’s event or at last weekend’s Salt Fest. It was suggested free or concessionary parking may have brought people in and made Salt Fest more of a success.
Coun Angela Hawkins said free or cheaper parking would have enabled visitors to make more of the event and that some people cut short their activities as they had to get back to their cars before their tickets ran out.
Coun Sital Harris said: “When we have special events in the town, it does help local businesses and bring money into Droitwich and we should be doing all we can to make the most of it.
“We should be bringing as many people as possible as we can to the town.”
Previously, Droitwich has had special discounts where parking has been just 20p for the day and, members said, if they were not able to offer 20p days, even £1 for half a day or £2 for a full day would be good and that way, as well as enticing people in, there would be some revenue generated by the car parks.
A motion was put forward to make a request to Wychavon to enable Droitwich Town Council to offer either free parking or special rates for special events, such as Salt Fest and the St Richard’s Festival.
It was also suggested those town councillors who also served on the district bring it up with their Wychavon counterparts.
Phil Merrick, Wychavon’s joint head of economy and communities, said “We don’t have any evidence that reducing parking rates would have any great impact on visitor numbers and events throughout the district are very well attended when parking is chargeable.
“Car parking is of course free on a Sunday and that remained the case during Salt Fest.“
* WHAT do you think? Should Droitwich offer more free or discounted parking for special events? Or do you think it is fine the way it is? Send us your views to [email protected]
