Business want city parking change

Some small businesses in Derby are calling on the city council to help them keep their customers.

They have said the £350m Westfield centre, which opened on 9 October, is already drawing trade away from other parts of the city.

Now shops in the Cathedral Quarter are asking for parking charges to be limited to draw customers back.

The council all requests to help business were considered but charges were part of its traffic management.

Business boost

Vance Reese runs a milkshake company on Sadlergate.

"We felt that something that could be done immediately and that could help bring people in is some free parking.

"Especially when you are competing with the huge car park at the Westfield, just an hour of free parking would be wonderful and it really would bring people into the area."

Managers at the Westfield centre have said it will attract an extra seven million shoppers to the area.