FREE car parking (in SDC pay and display car parks in town) on Christmas shopping nights in Stratford

Residents and visitors to Stratford-upon-Avon will not have to pay for car parking, in selected District Council car parks, in the town on five Thursday evenings in the run up to Christmas.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is offering free parking in all Stratford District Council town centre car parks (excluding Bridgeway multi storey and Bridgeway surface) on the dates listed below:

• Thursday 21 November 4pm to midnight (Christmas lights switch on)
• Thursday 28 November 4pm to midnight
• Thursday 5 December 4pm to midnight* (although there is no market due to the Stratford-upon-Avon Victorian Christmas Market on Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December)
• Thursday 12 December 4pm to midnight
• Thursday 19 December 4pm to midnight

The District Council car parks include:

• Arden Street
• Church Street
• Recreation ground
• Leisure Centre
• Swans Nest Lane
• Windsor Street

Please note: Not all town centre cars parks are Stratford District Council car parks, please check first.

Cllr Ian Shenton, Operations Portfolio holder says: "We have run this free-parking offer successfully for a number of years and it is very popular with both shoppers and retailers alike and is a positive way that the District Council can demonstrate its support for local businesses.

"Shopping in Stratford-upon-Avon with its easy parking, wide variety of retailers, amazing choice of places to eat and its history is a great place to visit all year round but at Christmas time with the beautiful Christmas lights and superb festive market, it becomes a truly a magical and atmospheric place to shop, for all the family.

"I really hope people take advantage of this offer which will benefit everyone from residents to traders and those from outside the district who might choose to visit.  We want to make Stratford-upon-Avon the first place of choice for people to come and do their Christmas shopping."

*Please note: that this is a change to the information printed in the Stratford View magazine (distributed at the beginning of November), as the decision was changed to incorporate Thursday 5 December into the free parking offer, despite there being no market on that evening due to the Victorian Christmas Market being on Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December - normal car parking charges will apply for the Victorian Christmas Market.