Shop Local this Christmas and take advantage of the Council’s special parking offer
Shoppers are being urged to support local businesses as the countdown to Christmas begins in earnest.

West Lancashire Borough Council is supporting Small Business Saturday UK on 3 December 2016, a national campaign to encourage people to shop at independent local stores.

The lifeblood of our economy, small businesses are a big part of what makes our towns and villages such unique and appealing places to live, shop and work.
The first weekend of December is one of the busiest shopping times of the year, when our towns, villages and markets are bustling with activity. Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to support and celebrate the quality of our small businesses and all that they bring to our local economy in West Lancashire.

To further encourage shoppers to come into Ormskirk, West Lancashire Borough Council is offering visitors to the town the chance to save money when using its car parks in Ormskirk. From Thursday 1 December 2016 to Saturday 24 December 2016 (inclusive), drivers who buy a pay and display ticket will receive an additional two hours free parking. This special offer applies only to Council-controlled pay and display car parks, and does not extend to the privately owned and operated Two Saints Retail Park car park. So users or motorists should ensure they read car park signage, and a valid paid-for parking ticket must be displayed to take advantage of the offer. Any parking tickets issued free of charge do not qualify for the additional two hours free parking.

Councillor Ian Moran, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Transformation & Economic Development said: “We are delighted to support Small Business Saturday and celebrate our much-loved small businesses. With Christmas lights casting a festive glow and creating a wonderful atmosphere in many of our local towns there won’t be a nicer place to shop.

“Supporting small businesses fits in with a key priority of the Council Plan for the authority to be ambitious for the local economy, and to retain and grow jobs.”

Sara Parker, Marketing Manager at Face for Business in Burscough and Lancashire Champion for Small Business Saturday said, “As Small Business Saturday UK Champion for West Lancs, I think that it’s so important that we all try our best to shop local and buy from the small and independent retailers and businesses in our community. Let’s show them some support this Small Business Saturday UK, and beyond!”
Motorists should note that the two extra free hours will not be shown on the pay and display parking ticket purchased from the machine. So, for example, if you buy a ticket at 10am for one hour's parking the ticket will still show an expiry time of 11am. However, during the special offer period, you will be able to park until 1pm.

Notices explaining the offer will be on display at the car parks. All car park attendants are aware of the offer and will allow for the extra two hours after the indicated ticket expiry time.

To find out more about Small Business Saturday, follow #SmallBizSatUK on Twitter. For more information on how West Lancashire Borough Council helps businesses please visit www.westlancs.gov.uk/business.