SCP9 PARKING
is free you might have problems with commuters which will have to be policed against in order to attract genuine shoppers. Plus we pay business rates on our car park so the council can earn income from it – we’d love to offer free parking but we’ve got costs and overheads to take into consideration.” Gloucester Quays runs promotional offers linked to parking, including spend-related free or discounted parking and free parking at certain times of the day when people are less inclined to shop. Management is also looking into including parking incentives as part of the loyalty scheme and potentially restructuring the tariff system to offer more hours for the same amount of money. “There are avenues to explore and things that can be done
without offering free car parking,” says Rawlings. “There are different ways for the industry to adapt to parking.” Andrew Cole, general manager at Touchwood in Solihull agrees
that there are things that can be done. But he’s also mindful that there is no simple solution and that any changes in parking rates must be made as part of a long-term, strategic decision. “Whilst free parking presents an appealing solution at first glance,
we must consider the long-term implications for retailers,” he says. “For example, it is likely that retailers will find themselves paying increased service charges, rents or business rates, as landlords
and councils look to offset the costs associated with providing accessible, convenient and secure parking. “We must work together as an industry to explore alternative
options which will work in both the short and long-term. Encouraging consumers to utilise public transport more, and offering free or discounted parking for limited periods of time or during the evenings, both provide great starting points for identifying a balance which will offer the most advantageous return on investment for retailers and consumers alike.” The broad view from parking organisations, car park operators and shopping centre managers is that there is no such thing as free parking, and many characterise the Portas Review’s suggestion of free controlled parking in town centres as a short-sighted and unworkable option. Many are waiting for the government’s official response in the spring and the upshot of the Portas Pilots to see if free parking initiatives are expected to be delivered, and how.
Find out more: For more information, please contact the author:
mia.hunt@
jldmedia.com
www.shopping-centre.co.uk March 2012 SHOPPING CENTRE
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