AN ALTON town centre car park is to be made ‘Free After Three’ for much of December in a bid to draw shoppers into the town and revive the crucial Christmas shopping period for traders post-lockdown.

From December 3 to 24 inclusive, Bank pay and display car park will be free to park in from Monday to Saturday after 3pm to help encourage residents to shop locally over the festive season.

The car park next to Alton Community Centre on Amery Street has 110 spaces and is run by East Hampshire District Council, which has teamed up with Alton Town Council to launch the initiative.

A combined statement read: “At this time the shop local message is so important for Alton’s businesses.

“Many residents have committed to support their high street and are staying away from big retail shopping centres.

“But for those who have still to enjoy the shop local experience, there has never been a better opportunity to take a fresh look at Alton and explore the town centre with this little added incentive.”

District council portfolio holder for neighbourhood quality, Ingrid Thomas, helped drive ‘Free After Three,’ in the hope it will help traders recover from lockdown.

She said: “We are proud to support this initiative in Alton and will do everything we can to support local businesses.

“When the national restrictions are lifted, our high streets will need residents support to recover from the impact on what is traditionally the busiest time of year for retail.

“If you do head to the shops, it is important to maintain social distance from people outside your bubble, wear a face mask in shops and wash your hands regularly to minimise the chance of catching coronavirus.”

Alton mayor Graham Titterington said the initiative came after residents suggested in September free parking would revitalise the town.

He added: “A number of respondents cited the availability of free car parking, so on this basis we approached the district council to see what could be done.

“We hope that Free After Three can really help to make a difference. We would like to extend our thanks to Councillor Ingrid Thomas for helping to advance the scheme.”

But if lockdown is extended, or reintroduced, Free after Three will be cancelled straight away, EHDC warns.