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Shoppers told: You can park for free

17/ 9/2008

FREE parking is back in Glossop — thanks to Wren’s Nest Mill.

Management at the retail park told the Advertiser that shoppers in the town centre are welcome to park at the site — even if they are not using its shops.

"We already allow people who shop at Wren’s Nest Mill three hours free parking, but we’ve decided we will extend that to people who shop anywhere in Glossop," said operations manager Eugene Gallagher. 

"It’s not to be abused by people in business — working in Glossop — and we’ll come down very hard on anyone who abuses it, we have guards in there.  Three hours will bring business to the shops down here. It’s for the community — to bring business back into the town.  It’s a gesture of goodwill from the mill and people will be able to shop knowing they won’t have a parking ticket when they get back to their car."

Glossop’s parking row hit the Advertiser front page at the beginning of the month when High Peak Council announced the end of free parking in the town centre.

It introduced a two-hour concession in October last year to encourage shoppers into the town and counteract the effects of extensive road works. But after roadworks were completed it reintroduced charges.

The concession cost the council £41,198 in lost income.

Mary Farren, manager at Glossop Rugby Club and chairman of Glossop Retailers in Partnership, said she was very impressed with the news.

"It will certainly be good for trade. If people know that there’s free parking facilities they’ll definitely come shopping here.  Glossop is suffering with people having to pay for parking — there are shops closing down every month," she said. "Three hours is more than enough time for people to walk to the shops and get their bits and come back and by walking down to the centre people will see shops they’ve not seen before."

A number of shops are re-opening at Wren’s Nest Retail Park this weekend following the fire last year.