LOCAL?businesses are set to benefit from another three weekends of free parking in Abergavenny in the lead up to Christmas.

Working alongside town councils and trade organisations, Monmouthshire County Council has agreed to provide free parking in Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouth - on three Saturdays in November and December - a move intended as a welcome boost for the towns' shops, to help remind people of the county's fantastic range of independent retailers and encourage shoppers to buy locally.

Councillor Phil Hobson, Monmouthshire County Council's cabinet member for community development, said, "Free parking over three Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas has been such a success over the past four years that it's right to repeat it.

"It costs the council around £17,000 in lost revenue each year but of course our towns benefit enormously from increased custom in shops and restaurants. And it reminds people what a brilliant range of outlets we have."

The council has also produced a range of publicity to promote the free parking and the wide variety of shopping offered in Monmouthshire's towns.

In Abergavenny and Chepstow the free weekend parking dates are Saturdays November 29, December 6 and December 13.

Some questions were asked however when it was announced that Monmouth's car parks would be free on December 6, 13 and 20, making it the only town to receive free parking on the final Saturday before Christmas.

An MCC spokesman was quick to stress however that the dates were set after consultation with the relevant town councils and businesses organisations who selected the dates they felt were best for the towns concerned.

"While Abergavenny and Chepstow felt that maintaining the earlier dates would be best, Monmouth decided to switch the earlier date to a dater one, the Saturday right before Christmas," he said.

"These decisions were made based on the interests of each town, as Abergavenny and Chepstow felt that most people would do their Christmas shopping earlier, and at MCC we feel that is a good opportunity for the people in the county to get four days free parking in towns as opposed to three.

"Due to the fact that Monmouth is the middle ground between the two others towns, it means that they can go to the other town on the Saturday before Christmas and receive free parking, while those in Monmouth can travel to Abergavenny or Chepstow on Saturday November 29 and get free parking."

The clerk of Abergavenny Town Council, Peter Johns said, "In Abergavenny we have never had free parking the Saturday before Christmas, and have always opted for the earlier dates to give people a chance to shop earlier.

"While it appears that Monmouth decided to change their dates, ourselves and Chepstow decided against this move, as we feel it is better for the people of the town."

And while some may have concerns about Abergavenny not having free parking on the final Saturday before Christmas, it appears that retailers are happy with the dates set.

Arlene Clair from FortySix said, "For the type of shop we are, we are a good place to come for unusual and different Christmas gift ideas. Therefore we are grateful for the free parking over those weekends to draw people in.

"As people like to start their Christmas shopping early, we think having the earlier dates is much more beneficial to the businesses like ours, and we are happy with the way it is"

While most of the town's retailers are happy with the dates selected, other have said that a longer period of free parking would allow them to compete more fairly with neighbouring shopping centres like Ebbw Vale's Festival Park and Cwmbran.

Emma Corfield-Walters of Fable in Abergavenny said, "I feel that the council could be doing more and giving us more days of free parking in Abergavenny, but with the options given I do think the way it has been decided is best.

"If people want to come into town the Saturday before Christmas, they will anyway, whether or not there is free parking. So to offer the earlier date in November encourages people to come into town a bit earlier to get their shopping down.

"It does help everyone, from retailers to restaurant owners and the residents themselves, I just wish we could maybe one day get all of December, to put us on a par with Cwmbran to get people to shop here more."