Free Parking At Council Car Parks for Shoppers

Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, highlighting small business success and encouraging consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities. It takes place on the first shopping Saturday in December each year, it aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.

In support of Small Business Saturday, the council will again be running its popular free Christmas parking scheme in the three weekends running up to Christmas. All council car parks will be free on Saturday 5, 12 and 19 and Sunday 6, 13 and 20 December, from 8am on Saturday until 8am on Monday.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has teamed up with the Federation of Small Businesses, the National Farmers’ Union and the East Yorkshire Local Food Network to encourage residents and local communities in the East Riding to support their local and independent traders.

Councillor Jane Evison, cabinet portfolio holder for economic investment and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “Small Business Saturday is a national campaign that this council and its partners whole-heartedly endorse.

“The East Riding is home to thousands of SMEs and micro-businesses and the council does all it can to support them.

“It is vitally important that consumers, where possible, shop local as this benefits the area’s economy and helps businesses to flourish and prosper."

NFU York East County Adviser Lucinda Douglas said the county’s farmers were already in overdrive preparing for the Christmas period: “East Yorkshire is home to a wealth of small farmer-run food and drink businesses, aiming to cater for all tastes and budgets. Everything from wonderfully fresh vegetables to a superb joint of beef or Christmas turkey, complete with a festive tipple - it’s all produced right here on our doorsteps."

Mike Bisby, chairman of the FSB’s East Yorkshire Branch, said: “Small businesses are the mainstay of towns throughout the East Riding. They generate wealth, employment and opportunity. They are the glue that binds our local communities together.

“The Federation of Small Businesses is delighted that the council has decided to ease parking restrictions throughout the festive season to allow easier access to local small traders and, starting from ‘Small Business Saturday,’ we hope shoppers will make use of their local small traders and help protect the East Riding’s diversity and local character.”

Normal parking rules still apply, such as those around disabled parking bays and maximum stays. For further information about Small Business Saturday, visit www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com