Free parking for Small Business Saturday

Tamworth residents are being encouraged to ‘shop local’ and support the range of small independent businesses in their town as part of the national Small Business Saturday initiative.

Tamworth Borough Council are supporting Small Business Saturday on 2 December and offering free car parking at all council-run carparks. The event is a national non-commercial campaign, which highlights small businesses encouraging consumers to 'shop local' and support small businesses in their communities.

The day itself takes place on the first Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.

On Small Business Saturday, customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, online, in offices and in stores. 

Car parking in Tamworth Borough Council carparks is free on this date and the 23 December, in the hope people will be encouraged to visit the town centre to shop local and to enjoy the Christmas in Tamworth activities on offer, including a Nutcracker trail.

As well as free parking in all Tamworth Borough Council-run car parks, the council is encouraging shoppers to visit independent retail stores for their Christmas shopping, have a festive drink or meal, and give the shops and businesses as much of a boost as possible in December. 

Please note the offer only applies to Tamworth Borough Council carparks.

For more information and a map of town centre car parks, please visit www.tamworth.gov.uk/car-parks. 

Why not combine free parking on Saturday 2 December with a Christmas Wreath Making workshop at the Assembly Rooms?

There will be two festive workshops at 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. Tickets are available from: What's On | Tamworth Arts and Events.

Tamworth Castle is open on both free parking Saturdays and makes a perfect festive day out. Look around the traditional Christmas decorated rooms as part of a visit to town. Tickets for admission are available via: Plan your visit | Award-Winning Heritage in a Stunning Castle (tamworthcastle.co.uk).

A brand-new free trail search for the life-sized nutcrackers hidden around the town centre, takes place from 26 November to 31 December. 

Find all the nutcracker characters and you can enter into a prize draw. Collect your free activity packs with clues are available to collect from Tamworth Assembly Rooms Box Office and the Castle Gatehouse from 20 November, or you can download a version on the website here: www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk.

Councillor Paul Turner, Leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “Supporting the town centre is a priority for us, especially at important times like Christmas. We made the decision to waive parking charges on these two very busy days because we want to support local businesses and boost town centre trade.

“There has been a lot of support for Small Business Saturday in previous years and I hope that a lot of people will support it again this year. Please tell your family and friends so we can make this the busiest Christmas for the town centre ever. Please come out and support your town centre.”

Tamworth Borough Council are offering a full programme of festive events and activities throughout December in Tamworth, including an open-air ice rink, carol spectacular, Santa shows, variety performances, festive films and Christmas party night extravaganzas.

Find out more here: www.visittamworth.co.uk/christmas-tamworth-2023.