19 November 2012

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

IN the run up to Christmas, Mid Sussex District Council is offering an early present to local shoppers and traders by providing all-day town centre parking for just £1.

The Council is helping to spread the Christmas cheer with discounted parking on Saturdays in the towns of Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath. The £1 parking offer will only be available in long stay car parks owned by Mid Sussex District Council.

Parking in Mid Sussex is completely free on Sundays so that’s a whole weekend of shopping for less than the price of a loaf of bread. The parking discounts will be available from Saturday 1 December at the following locations:

• Queens Crescent car park – Burgess Hill
• Station Road car park – Burgess Hill
• The Vicarage car park – East Grinstead
• Norton House car park – East Grinstead
• Franklynn Road car park – Haywards Heath

“Our three towns offer shoppers a diverse retail experience and people will now be able to enjoy visiting them for less by parking on Saturdays for just £1,” said Councillor John de Mierre, Cabinet Member for Economic Development.

“As a Council we want to show our support for local traders and the wider community during the busy Christmas period. I hope our parking offer not only encourages our residents to shop locally but attracts other people to visit and spend their money in Mid Sussex.

“There is no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than browsing local stores for gifts and with so many great retailers in Mid Sussex there is no reason to go anywhere else.”

The Christmas lights will be turned on in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath on Saturday 24 November and East Grinstead on Saturday 1 December. To encourage people to share some Christmas cheer with local traders on the day, Mid Sussex District Council is offering free car parking in all its short stay car parks from 1pm.

In Burgess Hill the celebrations will start at the bandstand in Church Walk from 5pm. There will be fun and games with Heart Radio’s Jack the Lad and the Heart Angels, a special appearance from Fireman Sam and fire engine rides provided by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

In Haywards Heath, festive events will run all day but the highlight will be Santa and his sleigh pulled by live reindeer, which will arrive on South Road from 4.30pm. A firework finale will take place at 6pm in Victoria Park.

Across Mid Sussex, 17 car parks have now achieved the Park Mark Safer Parking Award, creating a safer environment for users and their vehicles. For more details about parking across the District, please visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/parking.