I WAS pleased to read in last week’s Advertiser of the decision by the district council to trial free evening car parking in the car parks in the Bromsgrove Town Centre between 7-10pm.

I welcome this initiative which is intended to stimulate the town’s night time economy and I make a simple suggestion to improve its chances of being successful.

Why not bring the start time forward to 6pm, so people working in the town centre would be encouraged to have a drink or a meal after work before going home or before going out for the evening?

For example, the evening films and shows at Artrix start at either 7.30pm or 8pm.

Thus, if the free car parking started at 6pm, rather than 7pm, people would be able to book a table at one of the pubs or restaurants in the town centre, enjoy a leisurely meal before a film or show, and would be encouraged to do so by not having to pay any parking charges.

As a volunteer at Artrix, I know ticket sales are very buoyant, with full or near full houses for many films and shows. Imagine the positive effect on the pubs and restaurants, even if only 10 per cent of the audiences had a meal in the town centre before coming on to the Arts Centre.

What a boost to the night time economy!

Nick Taylor Bromsgrove