Retailers woo shoppers with free parking

Some of Cork city’s biggest retailers have joined forces to offer free parking to shoppers.

Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Brown Thomas and Caulfield’s SuperValu have teamed up with the retailers in Merchant’s Quay shopping centre and Merchant’s Quay car park in a bid to encourage more people in to the city and increase footfall.

They are offering one hour of free parking in Merchant’s Quay car park to shoppers who spend €30 in one, or in a combination, of the participating outlets.

Shoppers, who can only avail of the deal between 9am and noon Monday to Friday, must keep their receipts and present them to the reception desk in Merchant’s Quay shopping centre for validation.

The “summer madness summer parking” initiative, which began on a trial basis two weeks ago, has been very well received, Brown Thomas manager Caroline Counihan said. It is now being extended to run through July and August.

And there are plans to approach other large retailers including Dunnes Stores and Penneys, with a view to offering better parking deals.

“We just can’t wait for the city council to act. We have to be more proactive,” Ms Counihan said.

The price of parking in Cork city has been consistently highlighted as a major issue for retailers and shoppers over the last two years in particular.

City Hall responded in part late last year when it decided not to renew its costly towing and clamping contract with a private company.

The city council has also offered parking deals in the city-run car parks in the run-up to Christmas.

But there was some criticism afterwards that the privately operated car parks didn’t come on board.

The Cork Business Association (CBA) said more needs to be done.

A recent survey conducted by the CBA showed that 21% of city centre shops are lying idle. The cost of parking was cited as a major factor in discouraging people from shopping in the city.