Evening closure of Exeter car park sparks debate

Closing a popular Exeter city centre car park in the evenings has driven down anti-social behaviour and vandalism, councillors have heard.

Now discussions are underway about the possibility of finding a new solution to evening parking in the area.

The multi-storey Cathedral and Quay car park, owned by the city council, has been closing at 8pm instead of 11pm each night since February in a bid to rid the area of its problems.

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But traders on the Quay say their takings have been hit hard as customers head home for an early night.

The car park was said to have been a known haunt for drug users and vandals. In 2020, the top four decks were closed after structural defects were discovered, and nearly £1.5 million was spent on repairs.

Cllr James Banyard (Green, St David’s) told a recent full council meeting that the early closure of the car park was harming businesses on the Quay.

“The lack of suitable evening parking has deterred people from going there,” he said. “What steps can we take to begin a trial for some later opening?

“Opening the car park until 10.30pm on a Friday or Saturday night would really help these businesses.”

Council leader Phil Bialyk (Lab, Exwick) said discussions were already under way.

“Incidents of severe vandalism have dropped sharply since the car park has been closing in the evening,” he said. “However, we recognise the challenges, and council officers are exploring a range of proposals.”