Quoted from 78

Don't forget, that Bayer car park is further from the Kennet Centre than Sainsbury's & we know that no-one who comes shopping in Newbury likes to walk.

The KC is soon to be peripheral to the town centre.

It would seem that even the retailers were not aware that WBC were paying Bayer for the use of the "free" car park. This is taken from todays NWN:

"Retailers are extremely surprised to find we (the public) have been paying £12,500. We were under the impression that Bayer were offering their car park as a gesture of good-will"

Bayer should have been challenged on these extortionate charges.

Quoted from Archie

It would seem that even the retailers were not aware that WBC were paying Bayer for the use of the "free" car park. This is taken from todays NWN:

"Retailers are extremely surprised to find we (the public) have been paying £12,500. We were under the impression that Bayer were offering their car park as a gesture of good-will"

Bayer should have been challenged on these extortionate charges.

Couldn't agree more - I am a retailer, and I thought it was free !
I am also a shopper and don't mind paying for parking (as long as it's not London prices!)

If we lose the Bayer park, and up to 105 spaces from Parkway, and the two Wharf parks in front of the library and museum - will there be enough spaces for the large increase in cars brought in by the wonderful new shops in Parkway?

And the Vision also considers the car parks behind the library and museum, the Faraday Road park, and the Market St parks as 'development opportunities'...

Quoted from Archie

Bayer should have been challenged on these extortionate charges.

Extortionate? Multiply the number of spaces by the number of days and compare to the council car park charges. Perhaps Bayer ought to offer a paid car park at a rate that recoups the £12,500 charge. 5p an hour anyone?