Christmas shoppers in Inverness will pay just 20p for two hours parking if new Highland Council proposals get the go ahead next week.
The local authority has proposed using £8,119 of Common Good fund money to subsidise a £1.20 reduction on charges at the Rose Street car park to bring in more trade during the festive period.
City centre businesses have complained about reduced trade as a result of disruption caused by the long-running River Ness flood alleviation scheme and the more recent Academy Street fire.
But from the end of this month, the council-owned multi-storey car park could impose just 20p charge for 10 Saturdays and three Sundays in the run up to Christmas.
New charges would come into force on Saturday, October 24, and run every Saturday until December 26, and apply each Sunday from December 6 to 20.
Rose Street car park is open 24/7 and has a total of 856 spaces.
The promotion will be discussed by councillors during the City of Inverness Area Committee in the Town House on Thursday.
Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael said: “I would hope that my fellow councillors would support this because I do think the disruption over the past few months has led to businesses suffering, and we would like to bring more people into the city centre.
“I think that is why it is necessary. I personally think we should be doing everything we can to get people back into the city centre just now.”
The statement on the council’s application form reads: “Subsidising parking at Rose Street Car Park to reduce the charges from £1.40 to £0.20 for two hours is likely to attract additional shoppers to the city centre on the weekends identified and contribute to additional economic activity for businesses, particularly in the old town area of the city and the Victorian Market.”
The application highlighted that the provision of subsidised parking will contribute to the council’s policy aspirations, particularly the Highland First initiative which seeks to address economic decline in north town centres.