Free parking for shoppers during race week
Parking in all council-run car parks will be free of charge every afternoon, for customers arriving from 1pm onwards during Cheltenham race week.
From Monday 11 to Friday 15 March 2019 inclusive, visitors can enjoy the town centre for longer thanks to the free parking. The initiative is designed to encourage shoppers to visit during Cheltenham’s Gold Cup festival, providing support to local retailers and businesses during what can otherwise be a quiet time for the town centre.
Car parks allowing free parking to customers arriving after 1pm each day from Monday 11 to Friday 15 March 2019 are:
- Bath Parade
- Bath Terrace
- Chelt Walk
- Commercial Street
- High Street
- Coronation Square
- West End
- Regent Arcade
- Rodney Road
- Royal Well (maximum stay 4 hours)
- Sherborne Place
- St Georges Road
- St James Street
- Town Centre East
Councillor Steve Jordan, leader at Cheltenham Borough Council said: “There is a real buzz in Cheltenham when the races come to town, but we know that some retailers in to the town centre experience a very quiet time throughout the day. We would very much welcome those who aren’t busy at the races, to visit our vibrant town centre and all that it has to offer.
‘While this is purely an initiative by Cheltenham Borough Council, I would be keen to expand schemes like this in future, in particular, to include more sustainable transport options. For instance, it would be great to discuss with local bus companies how public transport could be added to the package.’’
Kevan Blackadder, director of Cheltenham Business Improvement District (BID), added: “We had good feedback from our businesses last year that free parking in the afternoons had made a real difference. Too many locals stay away from the town centre during Race Week, but it’s a great time to come into town.
“It’s good to see that the council is again supporting this initiative, which I’m sure will help more businesses make the very best of the opportunities that Race Week brings.”
Free afternoon parking during race week applies only to the council-run car parks listed. It does NOT apply to Chester Walk, North Place, NCP Portland Street, NCP The Brewery Quarter, Sandford Lido, CitiPark John Lewis, or any other privately-run car park in the town centre, neither does it apply to on-street parking.
Explore Gloucestershire
4 March 2019
For further information.
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