Free Saturday parking for Christmas shoppers

Beginning this Saturday (December 5th) and then continuing on December 12th and 19th, the offer relates to all Hartlepool Borough Council-managed town centre car parks and on-street pay and display parking areas.

The town’s multi-storey car park will, however, remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions –the pedestrian stairwells prevent effective social distancing.

This is the eighth year that Hartlepool Council has decided to waive pre-Christmas Saturday charges in a move designed to boost town centre trade and ease the burden on financially-squeezed shoppers.

Councillor John Tennant, Chair of the Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee, said: “The pandemic has had a severe impact on local businesses and many are in a battle for survival.

“We hope this decision will provide them with some respite by encouraging people to shop locally.

“We also recognise that many people are under financial pressure and we hope the waiving of charges will go some way to helping them in the run-up to Christmas too.

“It is vitally important, of course, that while out Christmas shopping everyone observes the COVID-19 restrictions that apply to the town and do whatever they can to protect themselves and others by following the rules and guidance on wearing face masks, social distancing and regular hand washing/sanitising.”

Mark Rycraft, Manager of the town’s Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, said: ““Lots of families are under pressure financially and this is one way that the Council can offer them a little bit of support.

In addition to free parking every Sunday, being able to park for free on selected Saturdays during December will, I’m sure, make the customer visit a little more enjoyable. The centre will also be open on Boxing Day (December 26th) when parking will be free all day too.”

The free pre-Christmas Saturday parking offer follows a decision by members of Tees Valley Combined Authority’s Cabinet to introduce free daily parking in Council-run town centre car parks across Tees Valley in January. In Hartlepool, visitors to the town centre will be able to park free for up to three hours.