City leaders agree shoppers’ car park takeover in ‘key location’ of Exeter

Taking back the keys to a city centre car park will help generate hundreds of thousands of pounds for Exeter City Council, writes local democracy reporter Guy Henderson.

Members of the city’s executive have voted unanimously to bring the Market Street multi-storey car park back ‘in-house’ as a pay-and display.

It was operated by National Car Parks (NCP) until that company went into administration in March, blaming a decline in business since the Covid pandemic.

Exeter City Council owns the site, which is close to the Corn Exchange and the Cathedral.

Cllr Michael Mitchell (Lib Dem, Duryard and St James) pointed out that NCP paid more than £50,000 a year in rent for the building, and asked if the new arrangement would be financially sound.

Corporate resources director Dave Hodgson said the estimated income from the car park in council hands would be around £425,000 a year, although some costs would have to come out of that.

Cllr Susannah Patrick (Lab, Exwick) added: “It is regrettable that the lease was abandoned, but I am delighted to see us moving quickly and decisively on this.”

And Cllr Duncan Wood (Lab, Pinhoe) told the meeting: “This is a key location, and it has always seemed a little bit odd that we run every car park in the city apart from this one.”

Members were also unanimous on a proposal to change the vandal-hit Cathedral and Quay car park from a pay-and-display facility to a pay-on-foot model, where drivers pay their fees as they leave, according to the amount of time they have spent there.

The council will discuss the future of that car park in July, with a report that points out that it has been the focus of anti-social behaviour for a number of years and needs a number of repairs.