A CHESTER city centre management footfall survey has revealed a 20% increase in the number of motorists using Gorse Stacks and market car parks following the launch of the Free After Three campaign.

With a potential 1,000 car parking spaces free after 3pm, local shoppers are returning to the city centre.

The scheme approved by Chester City Council in July will be trialled for three months but could be a permanent fixture if successful. Large stores and independent shops have pledged to stay open late on Thursdays as part of a marketing campaign to win back Chester’s local shoppers.

Chester city co-ordinator Stephen Wundke said: “Obviously we are delighted with this response. It vindicates both the retailer response to these hard economic times and the city council decision to get local people back into Chester, using their city.

“We have been overwhelmed with retailers offering support to open later and offer special incentives to their new customers. We are only halfway through the programme of events designed around getting Chester people back into the city.”

Barrie Kelly, director of operations at Visit Chester and Cheshire, said: “We have been working for some time on Chester’s profile, its attraction for our visitors and the co-ordination by City Management and Chester Festivals to help us sell the city to a wider audience.

“We are currently finalising a short break campaign with hoteliers where the attraction is to stay longer (two- and three-night breaks) and shop in Chester and this will hit some half-a- million e-mail addresses over the next few weeks.”