Spalding Business Improvement District offering free parking at Vine Street Car Park

Shoppers will be offered four hours of free town centre parking in a deal negotiated by a new business group.

Spalding Business Improvement District says it has agreed a six-month pilot scheme with South Holland District Council to provide free parking on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Vine Street Car park.

The BID hopes that the four hours of free parking will be encourage people to stay longer in the town and support local firms. It is the second initiative funded by the BID group which has spent £11,000 on providing hanging baskets in the town centre.

“This initiative is on a six-month trial basis taking us to just past the busy Christmas period” said Sarah Fletcher, manager of Spalding BID

“During this period we will be carefully monitoring the car park usage to see whether more people are coming into town and staying longer, if successful it is hoped the board will agree to extend the free car parking offer”.

Anger has been sparked among businesses in the town since the first levy bills were rolled out in March. These bills had been backdated since September - despite only backoffice work being conducted - and this has prompted some to question the validity of last summer’s ballot.

The BID — which organisers promised could raise £1million over five years to help boost the fortunes of the town — was brought in as a result of a very narrow ballot last summer, with just one vote tipping the balance.

A number of traders, including Nicholas Thompson, of the Art of Ink, will be appearing before Boston Magistrates’ Court on on Monday, June 30, for not paying their levy.

Will free car parking encourage you to stay longer in town?