Row over changes to late-night free Christmas car parking in Lancaster

A row has broken out over changes to free car parking for late-night Christmas shopping in Lancaster.

For many years, there has been free parking on Thursday nights in the run-up to Christmas, in many Lancaster City Council-run car parks, to help bring shoppers in to the city during the festive period.

This year, there will be no free Thursday night parking for late-night Christmas shopping in Lancaster.

Instead, the council announced a 'Free after 3' offer, with free parking in their pay and display car parks after 3pm from Monday December 22 to Wednesday December 24, lasting until 8am the following morning.

There will also be free all-day Sunday parking from November 30 to December 21, again valid until 8am the next day.

Totally Local Lancaster, a group campaigning on behalf of city centre businesses, released a statement on their social media page after finding out there would be no free parking on Thursday nights this December.

This since-deleted statement, posted on Thursday, had the headline 'Christmas late night shopping cancelled in Lancaster'.

It led to a huge outcry among shoppers and some city centre businesses who weren't aware of the changes.

Paul Cusimano from Totally Local Lancaster said it had reached more than 35,000 people, was shared 238 times, received 254 reactions, and over 200 comments, in just four hours.

But Lancaster BID (Business Improvement District), an independent body representing city centre businesses, said the post was "highly concerning and inaccurate" - and that "nobody has cancelled late night shopping as opening hours are a decision for each individual business to make".

The arrangements for free car parking in the run-up to Christmas this year, were first revealed by Lancaster City Council in September.

Tony Johnson, manager of Lancaster BID, also spoke about the changes during an interview on Beyond Radio that month.

LISTEN to Mr Johnson (pictured below) speaking in September 2025 

He said, at the time: "The city council, for years and years and years, have offered free parking at set times.

"Historically it's been late night on Thursdays and Sundays, in the run up to Christmas, and it's always been well received, businesses are thankful and the public are as well.

"However, feedback over the past two or three years, certainly to me in my role, has been that a lot of retailers feel that Thursday nights are a bit of a thing of the past.

"People's shopping habits have changed. Maybe Thursday nights haven't been as busy. So if you're an independent shop owner, why would you want to open for three or four hours longer and not have anybody in?

"A couple of the groups I work with, they fed back and said would there be any way we could discuss with the council to look at different ideas and for want of a better term, trade our Thursdays in for something else.

"What we came up with, businesses fed back to us, was the run-up to Christmas is still really manic and it would be great if there was an incentive there. So that's where 'free after 3' on 22nd, 23rd and 24th (December), that's where that was born. Our businesses seem pleased with that, so that's what we're going to try this year and let's see what the feedback is."

On Friday, Lancaster BID released the following statement.

"Lancaster BID would like to respond to highly concerning and inaccurate information about late night shopping in the city which has been shared by Totally Local Lancaster.

"Significant amounts of the information shared are misleading and we believe damaging to city centre businesses.

"Although the original post has now been deleted, it had already been viewed by over 35,000 so we feel it is essential we set the record straight.

"Nobody has cancelled late night shopping as opening hours are a decision for each individual business to make.

"FREE parking is available on all city centre car parks on the four Sundays before Christmas and FREE after 3pm during Christmas week.

"Each year it has become more difficult to market a consistent message around late-night Christmas shopping as businesses each know what works for them and choose to stay open until different times and on a different number of evenings.

"This year Lancaster BID discussed late night shopping with members of our management board, events and marketing and independent sub groups who between them represent almost 100 city centre businesses. The consistent message we received was that generally shoppers are leaving their late-night shopping until closer to Christmas and that Thursday nights have been getting quieter in recent years.

"We took this feedback to Lancaster City Council who agreed to revise their free Christmas parking offer to provide free parking all day on the four Sundays before Christmas and for all city centre car parks to be free after 3pm during Christmas week.

Below, St Nicholas Arcades car park

"This was announced by the city council in mid-September and shared by Lancaster BID to make businesses aware so they could factor this in when making their own decisions regarding Christmas opening hours.

"This is the first year the city council has offered free weekday parking before 5pm which enables all retail businesses to benefit with the option to extend their opening hours into the evening if they wish.

"Lancaster BID has also put together an extensive programme of festive entertainment to encourage people into the city centre on each of the next four Sundays starting with the Christmas Lights Switch On this weekend.

"Each individual business is best placed to know their own customer base and will have their own targeted marketing methods to share details of their own opening hours. Businesses sharing this information themselves is the only way to ensure it is accurate and customers do not visit the city and leave disappointed as their favourite shops are closed.

"It is highly disappointing that Totally Local Lancaster, a platform developed to promote local independent businesses, is being used to share individual opinions which are both inaccurate and unhelpful to city centre businesses. At a time when retail and hospitality businesses are under so much external pressure, it is more important than ever that everyone works together to promote positive messages to encourage people into the city centre.

"It is also unacceptable that individual staff are being targeted. All Lancaster BID staff are employees of the organisation and only implement decisions made by the management board which is made up entirely of owners and managers from local businesses.

"Lancaster BID legally holds a ballot every five years to ensure we still have majority support from levy paying businesses. Our next ballot takes place in the New Year when each business that pays a BID levy gets a vote on our future. We are pleased to have this process is place as we feel it is important to be accountable to city centre businesses.

"Ou business plan for the next five years will be published in early December and we ask that all businesses read all information carefully before making a decision on how to vote. The BID team are also easily contactable and encourage any business to get in touch with any questions you may have. We will always find the time to meet with any business who has questions about our work.

"Finally, we’d like to remind everyone to stay local and Love Lancaster this Christmas."

Also on Friday, Lancaster's two main shopping centres released a joint statement announcing extended late-night shopping hours in December, including on Thursdays.

"Marketgate Shopping Centre and St Nics are delighted to announce extended late-night shopping hours this December," said the statement.

Below, Marketgate shopping centre

"Both centres will be open late every Thursday throughout December, as well as Monday and Tuesday of Christmas week.

"Shoppers are encouraged to check individual store opening times for the latest details.

Sarah Harrison, centre manager at Marketgate, said: “It’s important the business community sticks together. Both shopping centres are committed to providing a wide range of shopping opportunities throughout the year, and especially during the festive season. This complements Lancaster’s as a unique and vibrant city, making it the perfect place to shop, celebrate, and enjoy.”

Jolanta Cross, centre manager at St Nics Arcade, said: “We invite Lancastrians and visitors alike to shop local and take advantage of the fantastic range of activities happening this festive season. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support local businesses while soaking up the joyful atmosphere.”

On Friday, Mr Cusimano released a further statement on behalf of Totally Local Lancaster.

Below, Paul Cusimano

"Last night we released a statement having learned that there would be no free car parking on the traditional Thursday 'Late Night Shopping' evenings.

"During this conversation with Lancaster BID operations manager, Tom Fyson, it emerged that they had conducted a survey of the businesses and their findings were that there was no appetite to continue doing late nights.

"The statement I released created an outcry, reaching over 35,000 people, was shared 238 times, received 254 reactions, and over 200 comments, in just four hours.

"The comments were largely in support of the continuing of late night shopping, as part of our festive season, by consumers, and assurances by businesses, both independent and multiples, that they WERE intending to stay open late, as they had done in previously years.

"For us business owners, this incredible outpouring of support and bewilderment, has been truly humbling.

"IMPORTANT: We are currently working on a number of options to ensure your late night shopping experience in Lancaster, not only continues, but is the best we can offer .....

"They say that 'Bad News Travels Fast'.

"So let's PLEASE make this 'Good News Travel Even Faster'."

In response, Firths Jewellers posted: "We fully support you and opening late night Thursday. With the ice rink Lancaster On Ice bringing people into the city we can’t let late night Thursday pass us by. Let’s join together as independents and offer the people a reason to come shop in Lancaster on a Thursday evening!"

Penny Street Collectables posted: "Such a huge reaction! I do wonder how the ‘survey’ results had the opposite views stated here?

"We’ll have a festive offering of some sort on the evening to make up for the free parking if the decision isn’t overturned."

A further statement on Friday from Mr Cusimano, said:

"Christmas Late Night Shopping Confirmed in Lancaster.

"As per previous years the shops will be open.

"Following significant conversations with the business community, we WILL be outlining how the businesses themselves.will be offering free parking  to customers.

"We are very disappointed, but not surprised, to read Lancaster BID's statement. For clarity, to quote someone, is not a personal attack. The survey Mr Fyson referred to has since been explained as conversations held around the various BID tables.

"We wish to stress, the removal of the free parking was at the request of Lancaster BID. This is therefore not Lancaster City Council's decision, and they should not be criticised for agreeing to it."

The statement went on: "What led us to explore the omission of Thursday's free parking, was a number of calls from businesses. They asked if this was the case, or an oversight. Without the free parking they were hesitant to open."

Mr Cusimano said that "better communication was needed to the businesses, for obvious reasons, and the visitors, the shoppers, who have been accustomed to the majority of the city's businesses being open, and LCC's car parks being free for the evening".

He also said the 'Christmas Late Night Shopping Cancelled' headline was used to be "bold, hard hitting, borderline shocking".

* To encourage late night shopping on Thursdays, Totally Local Lancaster will introduce a scheme where participating businesses will reimburse the £2 cost of a parking ticket against any purchase of over £20 on a Thursday evening from 6pm, on receipt of a city council car park parking ticket. The list of businesses will be published soon on the Totally Local Lancaster page. 

Lancaster City Council's free parking offer does not include on street parking, the Marketgate car park or any other private facilities.

The offer is available at the following locations:

Lancaster: Auction Mart, Cable St, Charter House, Dallas Rd, Edward St, Lodge St, Lucy St, Moor Mills (1, 2 & 3), Nelson St, Spring Garden St, Leonardsgate (Upper & lower), St Nicholas Arcades and Wood St.

It is also available in Morecambe here: Bay Arena, Billy Hill, Central Drive, Festival/Goods Yard, Library, Marine 1, Bus station, Pedder, Telephone Exchange & Westview.