Free parking in Whitchurch for town’s Christmas lights switch-on celebrations

Shropshire Council is offering free parking in its Pay and Display car parks in Whitchurch for the town’s Christmas lights switch-on celebrations on Saturday 26 November 2016.

The free parking will be on offer from 2pm to 6pm to encourage people to visit and shop in the town before the lights are switched on at 5pm.

The car parks at which free parking will apply are:

• Newtown
• Castle Hill
• St John’s Street
• Pepper Street
• Brownlow Street.

On the switch-on day there will be an indoor and outdoor Christmas Market from 10am to 6pm in Whitchurch Town Centre, with a variety of gifts, crafts, dance performances, live music and hot food stalls.

The town will play host to Father Christmas and there will be children’s fairground rides in the Bullring and late night shopping for local businesses. Visit www.whitchurchcouncil.uk for the full switch on schedule.

St Alkmund’s Church Crib Festival will take place on the day, as well as St John’s Church Christmas Fair in the Civic Centre’s Main Hall and Christmas Crafts in the library from 10am to 12 noon.

Whitchurch’s Lantern Parade which will begin its journey from the Market Hall at 4.30pm. The parade will travel along Brownlow Street, through Green End and then up the High Street before the town’s Christmas lights are switched on outside the Civic Centre at 5pm.

Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport, said:

“It’s great that we can once again support the lights switch-on and Whitchurch’s town centre traders by offering free parking on the afternoon of this special event. I hope people take advantage of this offer and make this an extra special day for the town, and for its businesses.”

Acting Town Clerk Zoë Dean, said:

“This is a wonderful event for the whole family and we look forward to lighting up the streets of Whitchurch every year. This year we have some brand new lights and one or two surprises for the switch-on – a day both the young, and young at heart, will enjoy.”

Hilary Seward from Whitchurch Chamber of Commerce, said:

“Whitchurch traders are all set for a buoyant festive season and we all look forward to meeting customers new and old. You can buy just about whatever you need in Whitchurch, so hopefully people will help keep the town thriving by supporting local businesses.”

Please see http://whitchurch.info/events/christmas-lantern-workshop/ for details about lantern workshops in the run up to the event. The workshops started on 5 November at the Civic Centre and run for four weeks.