Looks like most rural towns are going to suffer the plight of SCC as they try to balance their books. I'm just wondering about the legality of all this. In Whitchurch for example it is rumoured the council do not even own the white lion meadow car park. How they can get away with charging gullable motorists like myself escapes me :(

Wellington (plus other towns in the Wrekin and Telford Borough, but not Telford shopping centre, which charges for parking) would seem to be an option for shopping with no parking charges. At least at the moment.

I've parked there in Whitchurch many a time in the past. I always thought that, although it was Tesco's, they allowed the council to use it as a public car park (as a condition of the original planning permission perhaps?). So we have to cough up now.

It seems that Shropshire Council lost no time in charging for parking on previously free car parks. They did the same down in Craven Arms where a car park with maybe 60 or more spaces was well-used with a handful of spaces usually available during the day. Once the ticket machine went up it was the other way round with acres of space. I don't know where all the cars went but, when common sense prevailed and parking charges were dropped, all the cars came back!

Perhaps that's the answer. Shop elsewhere in Whitchurch or beyond and lobby Tesco.

Tescos are thinking of going elswhere in Whitchurch so I have heard, against the will of the local shopkeepers. Personally, I do support the local shops as much as I can but ironically Whitchurch already has a parking problem without any charges. When you try to shop there you are going round in circles trying to find a space. For covenience and not being charged for just shopping at their store I would support this move.