The owner of a book shop in Wantage has claimed that re-instating free two-hour parking in the town would increase footfall and boost revenue.

It follows calls by some district councillors to increase free parking at car parks run by Vale of White Horse district council, which currently only allow one-hour free of charge.

This includes car parks in Limborough Road, Mill Street and Portway in Wantage.

The council, which offered two-hour parking until it was reduced in 2019, voted against the proposal at a meeting on February 15.

Philip Howells, who runs Regent Furniture and Books on Newbury Street with his partner Linda Mason, said two-hour free parking would allow his customers more time to browse.

He said visitors come from around the world – including a dealer from Germany - to see the shops range of more than 100,000 books but that they were rushed by the limited parking.

He said: “If parking times were to increase, it means that customers would stay in the shop for longer. We have been trying to increase business anyway we can and this would help.”

“It would be a definite bonus. It really would. The thing with books is that people come to browse for ages.

“We feel more people use the half hour parking in the market square, but those intending to browse for a long time use other car parks.”

Simon Wood, co-owner of Creations gift shop in Market Place, agreed that potential customers were rushed by the current parking situation.

He said: “We find that the parking forces potential customers to rush. If within that one hour, they have got a dentist or doctor’s appointment, that’s all there going to do and they’re rushing.

“Two hours gives them a bit more of a cushion and they can look at other shops. What we don’t want them to do is to think, ‘I have only got an hour, I’ll buy it online.”

James Goodman of Green & Company estate agents added: “Wantage has so much to offer that expecting anyone to quench their interest in an hour is just not realistic.”

Ben Mabbett, district councillor for Grove North, voted for the two-hour proposal at the original meeting.

He said: “Local businesses have been telling me of the impact of people spending less time in the market towns and the effect of less footfall makes their ability to survive harder.”

A spokeswoman for the district council said: “Visitors to most of our council-run car parks can still benefit from one hours free car parking as we seek to strike a fair balance between supporting local businesses, ensuring that car parks are financially viable, and managing our climate and environmental commitments.”