Cinema shines light on parking charges
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NEWQUAY’S cinema is launching a campaign to persuade Cornwall Council to introduce concessionary evening car park charges in the town in a bid to help the night-time economy thrive.
Lighthouse Cinema owner David Williams believes businesses are losing trade because of the high rates charged by the council in Newquay’s car parks compared to other towns.
Cornwall Council aims to increase the charge for parking in Manor Road and St Georges Road car parks to £3 a night from April 1.
Mr Williams and his staff, who fear the hike will drive customers away, have decided to start a petition and visit businesses around the town to get their views on the issue. The cinema has already been swamped with complaints from movie-goers who are angry about having to pay so much to park in the town.
Mr Williams said: “We shall be looking in the next few days to start a petition and go around businesses to get their views.
“We have also put in an objection to Cornwall Council about the car park prices. The car park nearest to the cinema is one of the most expensive in Cornwall. I do not think people are getting value for money from the car parks at the moment. We are not going to let it rest.
It’s an important issue for businesses and people.
“We do not see why Newquay has the most expensive car parks.
“We do not think it’s a fair price people should pay to come into Newquay. People should be encouraged to come to Newquay to breathe new life into the town.
“People in Truro pay £1 after 4pm and car parks in St Austell are free after 6pm. I think the council is trying to cash in on Newquay’s car parks. Whilst on one hand Cornwall Council appears to welcome private investment into towns such as Newquay, on the other hand it does little in the way of positive support.”
The cinema has received support from Newquay Town Council in its campaign to get evening car park prices lowered in the town. The authority recently wrote a letter to Cornwall Council calling for the evening charge to be reduced to £2 a night following a “storm of protest” from businesses.
3 Comments
| #1 Fri 3rd Feb 12:34 | Ralph Dexter commented... Absolutely agree that Cornwall Council is trying to extract as much money as possible from this daft scheme without considering the impact on a largely tourist supported town, they probably don´t care anyway. yet another attack on the easy-prey motorist. Now if I were in charge........ |
| #2 Sat 25th Feb 14:47 | Mrs Miles commented... Newquay needs all the help it can get to stay alive. To have reduced parking charges would encourage people to use the Lighthouse Cinema instead of going elsewhere. People have to be careful with their money and can´t afford to go to the cinema if they have to pay for expensive parking. There´s a real danger of CCC killing the golden goose. |
| #3 Sun 26th Feb 16:28 | kim rundle commented... Newquays not got a great deal going for it at the moment,so you need to encouaged people into the town and by ripping us all off with car parking is so wrong.The Newquay council needs to take a leaf out of Truro and Wadebridge council, |
