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27
Feb
Asda responds to ‘customer-only’ car park concerns in Harrogate
Asda has responded to concerns after signs appeared at its supermarket in Harrogate saying parking is for customers only.
Former Harrogate borough councillor Diane Stokes contacted the Stray Ferret after noticing the signs on a recent visit.
They say ‘customer only car park’ and 'for use only whilst shopping in store'.
The signs in Asda car park.
Ms Stokes said she recalled that when planning permission to build the supermarket was granted in the 1980s, a clause was inserted saying the car park must be available to everyone — not just Asda shoppers.
She said this was in response to concerns that having a large car park exclusively for Asda customers would discourage people walking to the town centre:
There were some concerns among traders that people would park at Asda and not bother going into town. Two free hours was granted to allow them time to go into town and come back.
Why put up signs saying it’s for customers only if you’re not going to police it? If it becomes accepted as a principle, they will eventually find a way to enforce it.
Cars parked at Asda
For many years, customers paid £1 to park, which was refundable if they spent £2 in store.
Parking was monitored by enforcement officers.
But in 2022 Asda installed automatic number plate recognition cameras that allowed up to two hours.
Following a £2 million store refurbishment late last year, new signs appeared allowing three hours’ parking — but the car park was ‘for customers only’.
Martin Mann, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said it was “also concerned to hear that the Asda car park is now restricted to only Asda customers”.
We contacted Asda asking if it was aware of the clause and why the signs now said parking was for customers only.
A spokesperson said:
We recognise our role as a key town centre anchor and offer one of the only free short-stay parking options in the town centre. We’ve listened to customers who told us they value being able to link trips while shopping at Asda Harrogate, so we’ve increased the free parking limit to three hours and refreshed the signage to reflect this.
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