Enjoy free weekend parking in District Council-owned car parks in Newark this Christmas

Before the weekend free parking was introduced last year, it was only Sundays where visitors could park for free. Now, free parking will be provided on Saturdays as well as Sundays starting from Sunday 24 November, coinciding with the Christmas Lights Switch On, running through to Sunday 29 December. It will also include free parking for Bank Holidays for Wednesday 25 December and Thursday 26 December.

The aim is that the free parking will motivate residents to do their Christmas shopping locally this year, in an effort to support Newark’s amazing independent retailers and town centre.

Those using the car park on one of the free days will still need to pick up a ticket when they park. Simply go to the parking machine to print your ticket for how long you plan to stay, and you won’t be charged if you park on the weekend during the offer period.

Councillor Paul Peacock, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “We want to continue this offer for residents and to take the extra step and further support residents and businesses this Christmas.

"I urge all residents and visitors to Newark to seize this wonderful opportunity, explore our remarkable independent shops, and participate in the exciting events happening this year."

Councillor Claire Penny, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “It’s great we can launch this initiative yet again and it’s one that we hope will be a huge benefit for many living and working in the town.

"Newark is a fantastic spot for shopping, grabbing a bite to eat, or family outings, so it's wonderful that we can attract more visitors with this great offer." 

Darren Bourke, of Masdings Designer Clothes shop on Middle Gate in Newark, said: “This is fantastic news for shoppers and local businesses alike. It will help to support town centre and High Street businesses to attract more customers in the lead up to Christmas which is a vital time of year for traders. The convenience of parking and visiting the town centre on weekends along with free parking tickets will help bring more visitors and shoppers into our amazing town to experience all that is on offer at this time of year.”

A number of festive events are set to take place in Newark this year, including A Likely Story – Historical Escapes on Friday 1 November, Newark’s Christmas Lights Switch On taking place on Sunday 24 November, this year’s Palace Theatre pantomime Aladdin between Friday 6 December and Tuesday 31 December and the Christmas Market and Traditions coinciding with the Steampunk Christmas Market on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December.

These are just some of the engaging events hosted in the vibrant town of Newark, which hosts activities all year-round and boasts a wide array of independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. Enjoy exploring the town centre and the amazing events on offer under a magical Christmas canopy of lights, making this an excellent destination for a family outing which offers lots of great options to extend your visit, support local shops and enjoy a bite to eat or hot drink.

The District Council managed car parks offering free parking include those located on Appleton Gate, London Road, The Wharf, Riverside, Riverside Arena and Castle House. The offer does not apply to resident and contract car parks.

The weekend free car parking is one of the many ways Newark and Sherwood District Council has been supporting local businesses. Their Economic Growth team offers a range of fully funded support for businesses in the district both in-house and through partners, including; 1-2-1 tailored face-to-face advice, access to grants and scale-up programmes, access to the Boosting programme in partnership with Lincoln College, access to the Accelerator programme with East Midlands Chamber, the opportunity to attend various business focused workshops, access to grant finder schemes, advice on business rates and many more! To help your business grow, contact economic.growth@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk

Common FAQs for parking in our district

Why can’t the District Council offer free parking all year round?

We understand that many residents are keen to see free parking made permanent. As with any key decision, we as the local authority must look at it from all angles to ensure that it would be manageable as well as benefit and be fair for all residents and town centre businesses – financially and logistically.

Any driver will know how frustrating it can be when you travel to a car park for an appointment or errand, only to find that there are no spaces available. Having a free parking offer risks having these spaces taken for longer hours by local residents, employees or even commuters who then walk to their onward travel destination to get to another town or city. These ‘all day parkers’ are not using these spaces to visit our local retail shops or cafes, and can limit people being able to park to do so.

This was experienced through the covid-19 pandemic when we temporarily introduced free parking in all council-owned car parks; shops did not notice an increase in footfall but all the parking spaces were being taken.

Having a small cost for short stay periods allows for better flow of movement within our car parks, and many visitors comment on how cheap our current charges are compared to other towns and cities close to our district. 

We have spoken with colleagues from other local authorities that offer free car parking and surveys have suggested that they have limited impact in boosting the local economy and businesses are calling for parking enforcement – providing difficulties on how this would be managed and additional expense after losing the generated income car parking provides. Revenues from car parks are vital for their upkeep, utilities, security, and staffing.

Not all car parks in the town centre are owned and managed by the District Council. If you are visiting the supermarkets, they have their own free car parking arrangements in place. 

There are also companies such as NCP that charge for parking in their facilities, and we need to be mindful to their business when making any decision.

Last but not means least, is the impact on the environment and our health and wellbeing. We need to balance encouraging people to walk or take public transport against the needs of car-dependent residents. Free parking would increase short-range car trips and congestion. Whereas having a small charge might encourage people to instead walk, which would promote health and wellbeing benefits, or take the bus, which would be more environmentally friendly and support another important local service.

What car parks do the District Council own?

You can find the full list of District Council-owned car parks here: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/carparklocations/

Car parks outside of Newark are mostly owned by Parish Councils and we ask for parking donations at our country parks.

Am I able to buy a season long parking ticket?

Yes, you can purchase season tickets for parking in our car parks here: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/parking/contract-space-and-season-tickets/