FREE parking in Mansfield. It sounds almost too good to be true. And that's because it probably is.
The seasonal goodwill gesture made by the Mayor, which means charges in Mansfield town centre car parks will be waived completely on Wednesdays and Thursdays after 10am and after 3pm on other days until 11th January, is going to cost.
- Mayor reveals full free Christmas parking details
The estimated loss in income to Mansfield District Council is £124,000.
The shortfall will be met out of reserves.
It's perhaps unfair to question Mr Egginton's undoubted good intentions.
The gesture should certainly please shoppers and local businesses feeling the effects of the economic downturn.
But there must be concern over whether council reserves, built up over the years, should really be used for such a purpose.
There's a popular slogan used by retailers: 'When it's gone, it's gone.'
It has to be hoped that the Mayor's largesse doesn't turn out to be a costly mistake should things get really tough where the council's finances are concerned.
The full article contains 183 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
