A REQUEST has been made to allow free parking in Fordingbridge for the summer festival to encourage more people into the town.

The allocation of free parking was discussed at the town council’s meeting on May 2.

A representative from the summer festival said there was a “limited” amount of parking at the Recreation Field and made a request for free parking. He said: “We are trying to involve as many local businesses, people and organisations and to draw in as many people as we can.”

The town has four days of free parking, one of which is movable. The meeting heard there would be free parking on December 1 for Small Business Saturday and December 22 was “historically” free parking.

In a letter business owner Dave Tree said it would be beneficial to businesses to promote Fordingbridge as a destination for Christmas shopping and extend free parking from two to all four Saturdays in December. He said: “This period is critical to the retailers and services within the town centre especially when the alternative destinations can offer wider choice.

“The town centre has managed to do well to attract many new businesses following the closure of the main bank. However, it is still a very fragile time and recovery is still far from sight.”

The meeting heard events were being planned over the weekend of December 8 and 9 and December 15.

He added: “This small gesture can be the make or break when deciding where to head for for shopping.”

Cllr Malcolm Connolly said free parking was not needed for the Christmas light’s switch-on events as free parking would already be available in the evening so the allocation could be used on another date.

Cllr Brian Perkins suggested the allocation be used for the summer festival to “draw more people in”.

But Cllr Rosemary Fulford said people parking in the town would buy food and other items at the event and “not trail back into the town and spend their money in the high street”.

Mayor, Paul Anstey said the council were “uncertain”of the benefits of switching the allocation to the festival but it could be a “pilot”. Councillors agreed to use the free parking allocation for the festival. The town council has applied to New Forest District Council to move the free parking date.