Ipswich Central and Apex Parking Blackfriars Car Park have joined forces to offer FREE car parking on Thursdays between 3pm and midnight to draw more visitors into the town centre.
For an initial ten-week trial period every Thursday, starting on Thursday 20th February until Thursday 24th April, motorists parking in the Foundation Street multi-storey can park for free when entering after 3pm on a Thursday, and stay until midnight when the car park closes, at no cost.
To take advantage of this great offer, drivers just need to enter after 3pm and exit prior to closing time on the same day. Motorists arriving after 3pm enter the car park ticketless via ANPR or request a ticket at the entry barrier in the usual way.
To exit, motorists return to their vehicle and proceed directly to the exit to redeem their free parking, there is no need to visit the pay station. Please note that motorists arriving earlier in the day will need to pay for their stay as the offer only triggers for vehicles arriving at the car park after 3pm on the participating Thursdays.
Lee Walker, CEO of Ipswich Central, the Business Improvement District for the town, said: “We often receive feedback that the cost of car parking is something that puts people off coming into the town centre.
“In collaboration with Apex Blackfriars Car Park in Foundation Street, we are offering motorists the opportunity to park for free on a Thursday between 3pm and midnight to enjoy a late afternoon shopping, early evening drinks, food after work with friends or maybe an evening out with no cost for parking.”
Guy Watson, Managing Director of Apex Parking, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Business Improvement District to incentivise customers into Ipswich, to help town centre stores.”
The main aim is to attract more people into to the town centre, to support local businesses with a free, convenient car parking option to see if such an offer will entice more people into the town. Success will be measured through footfall data, car park usage and business feedback and if successful the offer could be extended.
In addition to this Free After 3pm on a Thursday offer, Apex Blackfriars car park offers £3.95 early bird ‘all day’ parking from Monday to Sunday. More details about this and other car parking options in the town centre can be found at: www.allaboutipswich.com/parking
Ipswich businesses and entertainment venues are being encouraged to mention this offer as an incentive for customers on a Thursday afternoon and evening when showing an Apex Blackfriars car park ticket, free soft drinks for the designated driver maybe?
Throughout the campaign, data will be gathered on footfall, car park usage, and business feedback. Social media and website analytics will also be monitored to assess the campaign’s reach and engagement. These insights will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the offer and determine whether it should be extended beyond the end of April 2025.
