OKEHAMPTON people are being urged to shop locally in the run up to Christmas — with the town council again offering free parking in Simmons Park car park after 3pm on weekdays and all day on Saturdays throughout December.

Town clerk Emma James said the town council wanted to tempt people to explore the many interesting shops in the town — and find the perfect present in them.

And with the town’s main Christmas shopping event, Edwardian Evening, being held on Thursday, December 5, she suggested people could opt to come into town a bit earlier that night and take advantage of the free parking after 3pm.

‘We want to encourage people to come into the town and shop in the shops locally rather than going further afield,’ said Mrs James.

‘Hopefully this will help those who are buying for Christmas and obviously the shops we have here. It helps bring people into the town.’

This is the second year running that free car parking has been offered throughout December by the council in the Simmons Park car park.

The hope is to persuade shopper that there is alternative to the more popular supermarket car parks which tend to fill up faster.

‘Not that many people know about it and it is actually quite central,’ said Mrs James. ‘It is also very good value.’