Could 90 minutes’ free parking help bring people back to Britain’s high streets? That’s the question behind a new national campaign from Spring & Autumn Fair, launched following new research showing that retailers and consumers have independently identified the same practical measure that could encourage more people to visit town and city centres.
Under the banner ‘Support Free Parking. Back Local Businesses. Bring People Back’, the campaign is calling for a minimum of 90 minutes’ free parking in town and city centres across England.
The campaign has been informed by ‘Voices of Retail’, Spring & Autumn Fair’s annual research programme produced in partnership with Faire. The findings reveal a striking consensus: 38% of independent retailers believe free parking would have the greatest positive impact on their business, while 63% of consumers say it would encourage them to visit town and city centres more often.
The research also highlights the wider opportunity for Britain’s high streets, as 95% of consumers say they would spend more if their local high street offered a better mix of shops, while 96% want to see more independent retailers alongside cafés, bakeries and other experiences that give people reasons to stay longer.
Jackson Szabo, portfolio director at Spring & Autumn Fair, said: “Retailers aren’t asking for special treatment. They’re asking us to remove one of the practical barriers that both businesses and shoppers believe is discouraging visits to our town centres. When retailers and consumers independently arrive at the same conclusion, I don’t think we should ignore it, we should act.”
The campaign centres on a Parliamentary petition, with retailers, consumers, suppliers, trade associations, local business groups and communities being encouraged to sign and share it.
Want to support the campaign?
Sign the Parliamentary petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/772686
Retailer Campaign Pack: email visitor@autumnfair.com
Read the full Voices of Retail report: https://www.autumnfair.com/voices-retail-report
