There will be free parking on selected days in late November and December at some car parks in the Dorset Council area.
To encourage residents to support local businesses by shopping locally and attending events, free parking will be available on Small Business Saturday which takes place on 3 December this year.
We are offering free parking on the first Saturday in December at: Beaminster, Blandford, Bridport, Dorchester, Gillingham, Lyme Regis, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Wareham, Weymouth and Wimborne.
Free parking will also be available in car parks managed by Dorset Council on various other dates in the run-up to Christmas. Details of the car parks and dates can be seen on the council’s Christmas parking webpages
Councillor Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment said: “Shopping locally is a great way to cut down the mileage and support Dorset’s superb range of local businesses.
“For something different, why not take a look at what our fabulous independent businesses have to offer and shop locally this year.”
Other providers, such as town councils, may also offer free parking in the run-up to Christmas, so drivers are encouraged to check the car park’s charges boards/ticket machines for details.
Important information
If drivers normally use an online service to pay for their parking, they should check the car park’s charges boards/ticket machines for details of free parking. If free parking is advertised on that day, they do not need to buy an online ticket.
On-street parking charges and private car park charges will still apply.
Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities.
Inflation as of today has just hit 11.1%
Bridport is giving 1 day free parking on 3 December to assist small local businesses. REALLY! Is that it? Come on, wake up! More needs to be done to help businesses and shoppers. Get your hands out of your pockets and help
Well done Dorset, in Wiltshire we don’t seem so imaginative !
Just typical of Beaminster and Bridport to have only 1 day of free parking!!
I used to buy Dorchester Shoppers Parking but now it has been privatised it has to be bought on line after giving personal information which I refuse to do to a private company which can sell your information on. It will mean I will not be going to Dorchester regularly to shop but will force me to use on line shopping. Please reinstate the ability to purchase through Dorset Council. I think businesses will suffer with people not travelling to Dorchester to shop.
Maybe you could tell us why you don’t “ encourage residents to support local businesses” for the rest of the year. Your policies certainly discourage me from going anywhere other than out of town shopping centres, and I hate doing it.