23 June 2009

Another day of free parking offers from Guildford Borough Council - this time alongside summer events and entertainment in the town centre - will mean the whole family can enjoy Guildford on Saturday 4 July.

As well as the range of parking deals from the Council, shoppers and visitors can enjoy the variety of events and activities taking place in the town centre as part of the Guildford Summer Festival.

Lead Councillor for Environment, Cllr Jenny Wicks, comments: “We have two main aims in mind with these special parking promotions.  We want to encourage people to visit Guildford to enjoy all it has to offer, and at the same time help pass back to the public the Government’s reduction in VAT from our metered car parking charges.  The previous parking promotions have given a much-needed boost to our shops and cafes in the town centre during these difficult economic times”.

Summer Festival attractions on 4 July include:

• the craft fair and street entertainment in the High Street
• children’s face painting and free arts and crafts sessions at Trotters in White Lion Walk
• the festival boat gathering and Guildford Lions’ charity raft race
  live music around the town
• Guildford Spectrum’s Specky promoting the Junior Fitness Challenge
• the Pranksters Theatre Company promoting their performance of Lark Rise.

The range of special parking deals have been organised by the Council to help pass back to the public the VAT from its metered car parking charges.  The promotion is also designed to help boost town centre trade during the recession.  Two days of free parking deals also took place earlier this year, in February and May, and more are planned for later in the year.

The parking promotion on 4 July includes:

• A free, three-hour parking voucher for Guildford Borough Council pay-and-display car parks in the town centre.  The voucher is valid from 9.30am and is available from the Council’s Tourist Information Centre in Tunsgate or on our parking offer pages.  The voucher excludes Castle car park (off Sydenham Road) and Tunsgate car park (below Tunsgate Square) as they are short stay, pay-on-exit car parks.  All street parking restrictions apply as usual including payment for parking in on-street pay-and-display places
• Free parking all day at the following long-stay car parks: York Road car park, Farnham Road car park and Guildford Park car park - no voucher required
• Free park and ride all day from Ladymead, Artington and Merrow - no voucher required.  Guildford Spectrum is not included because it does not operate a park and ride service on Saturdays.

For more information on the promotion or parking in Guildford borough visit our parking pages or call the Council’s parking office on 01483 444531.  For further details on the Summer Festival visit our Summer Festival pages or call the Tourist Information Centre on 01483 444334.

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