Douglas Borough Council has confirmed it currently has no plans to introduce charges for parking on Sundays at its Shaw’s Brow and Bottleneck car parks.

The Council was moved to comment after the Department of Infrastructure brought in Sunday charges at its Drumgold Street and Chester Street car parks with effect from January 5th, 2014.

Chair of the Environmental Services Advisory Committee Councillor Ritchie McNicholl (pictured) said: ‘Sundays, especially the afternoons, can be busy in Douglas and, for many families leading busy lives during the week, Sunday is one of the rare opportunities for them to spend time together, shop and have an enjoyable day out in the town.  At a time when retailers are finding trading conditions tough due to the economic downturn combined with the unavoidable disruption caused by the progress of town regeneration, we want to encourage people to shop. It is for these express reasons the Council lifts car parking charges at peak times in the run-up to Christmas, so at the present time we have no plans to charge for Sunday parking in our car parks.’

Strand Centre manager John Shakespeare added: ‘The Strand Centre does all it can to attract shoppers year round with a whole variety of activities and events. In this we are grateful for the Council’s support in not charging for parking on Sundays in its car parks, particularly at this time of extreme fragility in the retail sector. Charging for car parking on Sundays is an insensitive response and wholly counter-productive in a climate of subdued consumer demand. We need to work together with the Council and the Department of Infrastructure to maximise use of the car parks to bring more shoppers into Douglas.’