Free parking for Christmas shoppers

Ready to get into the festive spirit?

High streets up and down the country are preparing to welcome a flurry of Christmas shoppers with free parking during December.

Find out if your town is on the list.

Free Christmas parking

Retail has been hard hit by the pandemic, with shops and street traders suffering due to lockdown and restrictions on movement.

Many retailers have also had to introduce social distancing measures to protect shoppers, in some cases limiting the number of people they can allow inside at one time.

To help revive the festive fortunes of the UK shops, a number of towns cities and shopping centres have agreed to introduce free parking promotions over the Christmas period. 

Here’s where you can park for free in the lead up to Christmas:

Bedfordshire

• Bedford: Queens Street car park and council town centre car parks at weekends. Harpur Centre underground car park after 6pm.
• Biggleswade: All council carparks.

Berkshire

• Bracknell: The Avenue, Princess Square, High Street and Braccan Walk car parks on selected days.
• Maidenhead: Sunday evenings and Wednesdays in council car parks.
• Twyford: Polehampton Close car park on Saturdays.
• Wargrave: School Lane car park on Saturdays.
• Windsor: Sunday evenings and Wednesdays in council car parks. Excludes River Street.

Buckinghamshire

• High Wycombe: Town centre car parks on selected days.
• Marlow: All town centre car parks on Saturdays.

Cheshire

• Chester: Chester Racecourse on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
• Crewe: Civic Street, Gatefield Street, Holly Bank, Delamere Street and Wrexham Terrace car parks on selected days.
• Knutsford: Saturdays on Silk Mill Street, King Street and Princess Street.
• Wilmslow: Hoopers, Sainsbury’s and Spring Street car parks on selected days.

Cornwall

• Bodmin: Berrycombe Road, Dennison Road, Fore Street and Victoria Square on selected days.
• Bude: Post Office, Summerleaze, The Crescent and The Wharf car parks on selected days.
• Camborne: Rosewarne and Rosewarne Extension car parks and council car parks on selected days.
• Falmouth: Saturdays in Church Street, Grove Place, The Dell, The Moor, Town Quarry and Well Lane car parks.
• Hayle: Commercial Road and Foundry Square car parks on selected days.
• Helston: 19^th December in Castle Green, Cattlemarket, Trengrouse Way, Trengrouse Way Extension and Tyacke Road car parks.
• Liskeard: Saturdays in Cattle Market, Lower Sungirt, Rapson, Upper Sungirt and Westbourne car parks.
• Looe: 12^th December in Riverbank, Millpool and Kilminorth Woods car parks.
• Marazion: 26^th December in Long Rock and Marazion Station car parks.
• Mevagissey: 19^th December in Church Street and River Street car parks.
• Newquay: 19^th December in Fore Street, Mount Wise, St Georges Road and The Manor car parks.
• Penryn: 14^th December in Commercial Road, Exchequer Quay and Saracen car parks.
• Penzance: 19^th December in Causeway Head, Clarence Street, Greenmarket, Harbour, Penalverne, St Anthonys, St Erbyns and Wherrytown car parks.
• Port Isaac: 19^th December in New Road car park.
• Redruth: Saturdays in Flowerpot Chapel, New Cut, New Cut Extension and West End car parks.
• Saltash: 19^th December in Alexandra Square, Bellevue West, Bellevue East and Culver Road car parks.
• St Austell: 19^th December in Clifden Road, Polkyth and Priory car parks.
• St Ives: 19^th December in Porthmeor, Sloop, Barnoon Long Stay, Park Avenue, Smeatons Pier, Trenwith, Station and Island car parks.
• Torpoint: 19^th December in Anthony Road and Tamar Street car parks.
• Wadebridge: Town Council car parks on Saturdays. Parking is also free on the 19^th December in the Goldsworthy Way and Piggy Lane car parks.
• Widemouth: Boxing Day in Widemouth Bay car park.

County Durham and Tees Valley

• Darlington: Two hours free in Tees Valley car parks.
• Durham: After 3pm in all council-owned car parks and on-street pay and display.
• Gainsborough: Two hours in selected car parks.
• Hartlepool: Two hours in Tees Valley car parks.
• Middlesbrough: Two hours in Tees Valley car parks.
• Redcar: Two hours in Tees Valley car parks.
• Stockton: Two hours in Tees Valley car parks.
• Yarm: Two hours in selected car parks.

Cumbria

• Barrow: Portland Walk on selected days.
• Carlisle: After 3pm on Late Night Thursdays in selected car parks.
• Egremont: Copeland Council car parks on Beck Green and Chapel Street.
• St Bees: Copeland Council car parks until 3 January.
• Whitehaven: School House Lane, Senhouse Street, Whitehaven Sports Centre, The Beacon Museum, North Shore, Copeland Centre (weekends only) and The Ginns (weekends only).

Derbyshire

• Chesterfield: Local residents in Chesterfield Borough Council car parks before 10am and after 3pm Monday to Saturday, and all day on Sundays.
• Derbyshire Dales: From 2pm in Derbyshire Dales District Council off-street car parks.
• Erewash: After 10am in Erewash Borough Council car parks every Monday. Long Eaton Railway Station excluded.

Devon

• Chagford: After 3pm on Thursdays and Fridays.
• Great Torrington: Sydney House car park on 12^th and 19^th December between 8am and 12pm. Free parking also be available on Christmas Eve in the Sydney House and Barley Grove car parks.
• Hatherleigh: After 3pm on Thursdays and Fridays.
• Ivybridge: Saturdays and Sundays.
• Okehampton: After 3pm in Mill Road car park and all day on Saturdays.
• Tavistock: After 3pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in West Devon Borough Council car parks.
• Torbay: Free on-street parking in selected roads in Torquay and Paignton on Sundays. The local council is also operating a discounted scheme from 3^rd December until Christmas Eve.

Dorset

• Beaminster: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including on-street parking and The Square and Yarn Barton car parks.
• Blandford: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays and Christmas Eve, including on-street parking and Church Lane, Eagle House Gardens, Langton Road, Marsh & Ham and Station Court car parks.
• Bournemouth: All town centre car parks on Thursday evenings and Sundays.
• Bridport: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays including East Street, Football Club, Hope Terrace, Plottingham, Rope Walks, South Street, West Street and Wykes Court car parks.
• Charmouth: Lower Sea Lane car park on Saturdays.
• Christchurch: Town centre car parks on Thursday evenings and Sundays. Car parks will also be free on Saturdays between midday and 6pm until Christmas.
• Corfe Castle: West Street car park on Saturdays.
• Dorchester: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including Acland Road, Durngate Street, Fairfield, Old Market, Top O’Town, Trinity Street and Wollaston Field car parks.
• Ferndown: Penny’s Lodge car park on Saturdays.
• Gillingham: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including Chantry Fields, Gas Lane and High Street car parks.
• Lyme Regis: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including Charmouth Road, Broad Street, Cobb Gate and Holmbush car parks.
• Poole: All town centre car parks on Thursday evenings and Sundays.
• Shaftesbury: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Sherborne: Dorset County Council car parks on Mondays.
• Sturminster Newton: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Swanage: North Beach car park.
• Wareham: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including Bonnets Lane, Connegar Lane, Rempstone and Streche Road car parks.
• Weymouth: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including Cosens Quay, Council Offices, Governors Lane, Harbourside, Lodmoor, Melcombe Regis, Nothe, Park Street, Pavilion, Pavilion Forecourt, Royal Yard and Swannery car parks.
• Wimborne: Dorset County Council car parks on Saturdays, including King Street, Allenview South, Allenview West, Allenview North, Westfield Close, Pye Corner, Old Road, Hanham Road, Poole Road, Leigh Road and Park Lane car parks.

East Yorkshire

• Hull: Weekends from 10am to 4pm in Osborne Street, Prime Street and George Street multi-storey car parks.

Essex

• Maldon: Public town centre car parks every Thursday from 2pm in December.
• Rochford: Rochford District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Thurrock: Every Saturday in December.

Gloucestershire

• Gloucester: Thursdays in the Kings Walk and Eastgate Shopping Centre car parks – up to and including Christmas Eve.
• Tewkesbury: Tewkesbury Borough Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Winchcombe: Tewkesbury Borough Council car parks on Saturdays.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight

• Basingstoke: Council-operated car parks on selected days. All day in the Lower Basing View car park until 31 December.
• Gosport: South Street, Flower Buildings and Marine Parade short-stay car parks throughout December.
• Isle of Wight: Off-street parking in council long-stay car parks from 3pm until 6pm until New Year’s Eve. Free on-street parking in Newport only.
• New Forest: All town and village car parks managed by New Forest District Council on selected days.

Herefordshire

• Bromyard: All council car parks.
• Hereford: Council car parks, on-street pay and display and the Old Market car park on Wednesdays.
• Leominster: Council car parks on Saturday 12^th December.
• Ross: Council car parks on Saturday 19^th December.

Lancashire and Greater Manchester

• Bolton: Two hours in the town centre.
• Blackpool: After 5pm on Thursdays at the Houndshill Shopping Centre.
• Cleveleys: Four hours in Wyre Council car parks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
• Fleetwood: Four hours in Wyre Council car parks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
• Fylde: All council owned pay and display car parks on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Garstang: Four hours free in Wyre Council car parks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
• Leigh: Wigan Council car parks after 3pm.
• Poulton: Four hours in Wyre Council car parks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
• Preston: Free city centre parking in the Penny Street and Market Surface car parks.
• South Ribble: All council car parks from 10am.
• Stockport: Council carparks after 2pm on selected days.
• Wigan: Wigan Council car parks after 3pm.

Leicestershire

• Hinckley: St Mary’s, Church Walk, Castle, Lower Bond Street and Trinity Lane East car parks on Saturdays. After 3pm in Trinity Lane East, Castle and Lower Bond Street car parks.
• Lutterworth: Free parking on Saturdays.
• Market Harborough: Free parking on Saturdays.
• Melton: Burton Street, Mill Street and Scalford Road car parks on Fridays.

London

• Barnet: Council car parks on selected days.
• Epping Forest: Weekends in all council car parks.
• Havering: Havering Council car parks on Saturdays and Sundays.

Kent

• Battle: Rother District Council car parks every Thursday and Saturday.
• Bexhill: Rother District Council car parks every Thursday and Saturday.
• Rye: Rother District Council car parks every Thursday and Saturday.
• Sevenoaks: Sevenoaks District Council car parks at weekends. This includes on-street parking.

Northamptonshire

• Kettering: All Kettering Council car parks.
• Northampton: Multi-storey car parks every Saturday until Christmas.

North Yorkshire

• Hambleton: All Hambleton District Council car parks.
• Harrogate: Victoria Street on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until 24 December.
• Helmsley: Market Street and Cleveland Way car parks.
• Kirkbymoorside: Town Farm car park.
• Malton: Wentworth Street and Water Lane car parks.
• Pickering: Eastgate, Vivis Lane and The Ropery car parks.
• Scarborough: Some off-street car parks on Thursdays from 3pm and Sundays from 11am to 4pm.
• Whitby: Some off-street car parks on Thursdays from 3pm and Sundays from 11am to 4pm.

Northern Ireland

• Armagh: Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
• Kilkenny: Kilkenny and Carlow Town.

Oxfordshire

• Abingdon: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Didcot: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Mondays.
• Faringdon: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Goring: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Henley: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Tuesdays.
• Thame: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Wantage: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Wallingford: South Oxfordshire District Council car parks on Thursdays.

Scotland

• Aberdeen: Selected Aberdeen City Council car parks at weekends.
• Argyll and Bute: Off-street car parks in Argyll and Bute towns from 11^th December.
• Ayr: Council car parks and on-street parking bays on Barns Crescent, Charlotte Street and Kyle Street car parks.
• Dunfermline: All town car parks.
• Falkirk: Free parking in the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) from Monday to Wednesday, provided customers spend a minimum of £10 in the town centre.
• Inverness: Eastgate Shopping Centre from 5pm on Thursdays and up to two hours in the Rose Street multi-storey car park.
• Perth and Kinross: Selected council-run car parks at weekends.
• Scottish Borders: All Scottish Borders Council car parks.

Shropshire

• Shropshire: All Shropshire Council car parks from 11am to 6pm.
• Ironbridge Gorge: The Square, The Wharfage, Ironbridge Central and Dale End car parks.

Somerset

• Bruton: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Castle Cary: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Chard: Council car parks on selected days.
• Crewkerne: Council car parks on selected days.
• Dulverton: Somerset West and Taunton car parks on Saturdays.
• Dunster: Somerset West and Taunton car parks on Saturdays.
• Frome: Cattle Market car park from 17^th December.
• Glastonbury: St John’s car park from 17^th December.
• Ilchester: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Ilminster: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Langport: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Martock: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Minehead: Somerset West and Taunton car parks on Saturdays.
• Montacute: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Porlock: Somerset West and Taunton car parks on Saturdays.
• Sedgemoor: Selected Sedgemoor District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Shepton Mallet: Great Ostry car park from 17^th December.
• Somerton: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• South Petherton: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Street: Cranhill Road car park from 17^th December.
• Taunton: Some council car parks on selected days.
• Wellington: Somerset West and Taunton car parks on Saturdays.
• Wells: Union Street car park from 17^th until 24^th December inclusive.
• Weston-super-Mare: From 1pm in the Grove and Carlton Street car parks on Saturdays.
• Williton: Somerset West and Taunton car parks on Saturdays.
• Wincanton: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.
• Yeovil: South Somerset District Council car parks on selected days.

South Yorkshire

• Doncaster: Chappell Drive car park on Saturdays. Free parking from 2pm to 6pm in Markets, St Georges and Colonnades car parks.

Staffordshire

• Burton: East Staffordshire Borough Council car park every Saturday.
• Cannock: Cannock Chase Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Cheadle: Off-street council car parks on selected days.
• Leek: Off-street council car parks on selected days.
• Stone: Stone Town Council on Saturdays in the Crown Street and Christchurch Way car parks.
• Tamworth: East Staffordshire Borough Council car park every Saturday.
• Uttoxeter: East Staffordshire Borough Council car park every Saturday.

Suffolk

• East Suffolk: 30 minutes free in some East Suffolk Council car parks.

Tyne and Wear

• Sunderland: All Sunderland City Council car parks after 3pm on weekdays from 12^th December.

Wales

• Aberdare: Crown Buildings, Library, Green Street, Duke Street, High Street, Nant Row, Rock Grounds and Ynys car parks.
• Abergavenny: Monmouthshire County Council car parks.
• Anglesey: Anglesey Council car parks from 10am on 11^th December.
• Carmarthen: Town car parks every Sunday.
• Chepstow: Monmouthshire County Council car parks.
• Gwynedd: Gwynedd Council public car parks from 12^th December.
• Llangollen: Denbighshire Council car parks from 3pm every day.
• Llanelli: Saturdays in all Llanelli town centre council car parks.
• Monmouth: Monmouthshire County Council car parks.
• Neath: All pay and display car parks in the centre of Neath.
• Newport: Weekends in council-owned car parks.
• Pontardawe: All pay and display car parks in the centre of Pontardawe.
• Pontypridd: Gas Road, Goods Yard (council section), Millfield, Berw Road and Sardis Road car parks.
• Port Talbot: All pay and display car parks in the centre of Port Talbot.

Warwickshire

• Stratford-upon-Avon: Stratford-upon-Avon District Council town centre car parks from 4pm to midnight on Thursdays. Excludes Bridgeway.
• Warwickshire: All Warwickshire District Council car parks.

West Midlands

• Sandwell: Sandwell Council car parks on selected days.
• Wolverhampton: After 3pm in School Street, Peel Street, Fold Street and Market car parks.

West Sussex

• Bognor: Fitzleet car park on Saturdays.
• Burgess Hill: After 3pm in Mid Sussex District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• East Grinstead: After 3pm in Mid Sussex District Council car parks on Saturdays.
• Littlehampton: Manor House car park on Saturdays.
• Haywards Heath: After 3pm in Mid Sussex District Council car parks on Saturdays.

West Yorkshire

• Leeds: Anyone who spends £30 in the shops at Trinity Leeds can claim for up to three hours of free parking between 9am and midnight. This offer is available from Monday to Thursday in December.

Wiltshire

• Malmesbury: Two hours in Cross Hayes car park on selected days.

Worcestershire

• Bromsgrove: Bromsgrove District Council car parks.
• Malvern Hills: After 3pm in all Malvern Hills District Council car parks.
• Worcester: After 6pm in Worcester City Council car parks on Thursdays.
• Wychavon: All Wychavon District Council car park.

For more details, be sure to check your council or local news websites before visiting. Further time restrictions may apply in some locations, so look out for signs before you park.Is your car too big to park? A new survey shows you’re not the only driver struggling to fit in that space…