Boom town!

Aug 29 2008 by Ben Coulbeck, Chester Chronicle

Boom town!

FREE parking after 3pm has been such a success that it could become a permanent feature in Chester.

City retailers are enjoying a remarkable 25% rise in footfall since the council-led “Free after 3” initiative started six weeks ago.

A meeting between city council chiefs and major retailers this week reported findings from the first six weeks of the scheme and the figures have been well-received.

The three-month trial scheme, in which shoppers can park for free after 3pm at city council-run car parks on Princess Street and Gorse Stacks, is due to run until October.

A number of major city-centre retailers including M&S, Boots, Debenhams, New Look and Next have signed up to open later on Thursdays to take advantage of the increase in custom.

Neil Parnell, manager of Marks and Spencer on Eastgate Street, said: “We warmly welcome the campaign during which, in terms of footfall, we have seen a rise in 20% between 3pm and close.

“The initiative is playing a key role in restoring Chester as the people’s choice but there needs to be more marketing and promotion to attract more people back to Chester.”

Linda Bowen, manager of New Look on Eastgate Street, said: “We are 100% behind the scheme and we are certainly seeing the benefits of it. It focuses on the needs of the customer. We are also open until 7pm on Thursdays now and that has been really good for us. There does need to be more information about where the car parks are so customers do not feel so rushed.”

Pat Brickland, commercial manager of Next, said: “The findings of the Free after 3 campaign have been well received.

“We, alongside other retailers, are also supporting a scheme to open later on Thursdays but we won’t see the true picture of how successful that has been until next month.”

City-centre chiefs have been delighted with the results of the free parking scheme as retailers buck the current financial trend of the credit crunch by staying open later and attracting more customers.

City Centre Management chairman David Pickering said: “We are delighted with the retail figures reported after the first five weeks of Free after 3. I don’t think any of us ever envisaged that increases in excess of 20% were achievable in such a short time.

“Our thanks to the City Council for taking the chance and for supporting our retailers and we look forward to even better results as the word spreads further.”

Deputy leader of the city council, Councillor Stephen Mosley, backed the campaign to continue in the future.

He said: “This initiative is part of our plans to encourage shoppers back to Chester to support the city centre shops that underpin our local economy. We now are halfway through the scheme and I would like to see it continue.

“We are reviewing the success of the trial and need to hear from businesses, market traders and shoppers about what they think and whether they believe Free After 3 should continue.”

Councillor Mosley is asking people to write to him as soon as possible at Chester City Council, The Forum Offices, Chester CH1 2HS.