A CAR park at the Top of Town will be for permit holders only on weekdays to make it ‘more attractive to businesses’, according to the council. 

Southern Road Car Park, in Southern Road, Basingstoke, will be available for permit holders only from Monday to Friday, starting in January 2024.

The car park, situated at the Top of Town, currently offers 76 pay and display bays, which are at "low occupancy during the week".

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has said that Castons Yard car park, in New Road, which offers 60 spaces according to Parkopedia, will have "adequate capacity to accommodate existing demand".

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Basingstoke Gazette: Southern Road Car Park

A borough council spokesperson said: “There is a substantial demand from local businesses for staff parking close to the centre of Basingstoke and the council has responded to these requests by providing additional permit parking.

“From mid-January 2024, Southern Road car park will be for permit holders only Monday to Friday and at weekends it will be a public pay and display car park.

“Southern Road and Castons car parks have low occupancy during the week and Castons has adequate capacity to accommodate all the existing demand for public pay and display parking during the week.

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“By offering access to parking permits, local businesses can recruit and retain staff making the town more attractive to businesses. By increasing the number of people parking at the top of town it also generates additional footfall and trade for local businesses.”

The decision follows prior criticism from a local business owner that the borough council was not doing enough to support businesses at the Top of Town.

The owner of the Gabardine Bar, in London Street, Fran O’Halloran, said that "more investment is needed at the Top of Town".