PEOPLE in Weymouth will be able to park for free at weekends in Dorset Council car parks starting on Small Business Saturday on December 7.

The free weekend parking until the end of December is provided by Weymouth Town Council, Dorset Council and Weymouth BID and the Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce, to encourage people to shop locally for their Christmas presents.

Alongside the Christmas shopping there will also be festive events happening in the town such as the Victorian Christmas Fayre and the annual Chase the Pudding race on the beach.

Additionally, throughout December, the town will be celebrating the fairytale of Cinderella. All residents and visitors of Weymouth are invited to following the magical story as it is brought to life with light, sounds and animations in six story book settings, each on their own stage.

Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment said: “We’re delighted to offer residents and visitors free parking in our Weymouth car parks in the run up to Christmas.

“This is a great opportunity for local people to support Weymouth as a Christmas shopping destination.”

Cllr Graham Winter, Mayor of Weymouth, said: “Having these free parking weekends will give residents that extra incentive to spend more time in their local shopping area. This also helps promote Weymouth as a shopping destination by encouraging visitors from elsewhere. Offering consecutive free parking weekends is a first for Weymouth and shows that we’re working hard with partners to deliver a better retail experience by offering the free parking.”

Claudia Webb, Chief Executive of Weymouth BID, said: “We are happy that the councils are supporting local trade in this way and hope that the town will be packed at weekends with families enjoying the various Christmas events and the Cinderella Trail.”

Craig Oakes, President of Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, said with campaigns such as online Black Friday sales it has become more difficult to guarantee money for local businesses over the festive period.

He added: “The least that we can be doing over this period is to give our businesses a fighting chance by offering parking for free in the relevant town centre car parks over December thus giving the whole town the opportunity to thrive again over Christmas, especially with events planned too.”

The free parking dates are as follows:

• Saturday 7 and Sunday December 8 (Small Business Saturday 7th December)

• Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 (Victorian Christmas Fayre 14 & 15 and Chase the Pudding December 15)

• Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 December (Last weekend before Christmas)

• Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day sales)

• Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December (Christmas sales)

There is no need to display a parking ticket on these dates.

All other terms and conditions including maximum stay restrictions are applicable to each car park during this time

The car parks where free parking applies are as follows:

• Pavilion (main and forecourt)

• North Quay

• Governors Lane

• Cosens Quay

• Harbourside

• Melcombe Regis

• Park Street

• Royal Yard

• Swannery

On-street parking charges will still apply during this period.