New owner of Devon car park makes it a charge-free zone

A businessman has taken the unusual step of buying a council car park and making it free to use. Rob Braddick bought a 50-year lease on the Seafield Car Park in the Devon village of Westward Ho! in May.

Previously there had been a £3 daily charge at the 20-space coastal car park run by Torridge District Council. But Braddick, owner of several local bars, restaurants and holiday centres, announced on Facebook that the site could be used free of charge. 

He stated: “Hot off the press! As of 4pm my company Braddicks Leisure Ltd has acquired a long lease on Seafield Car Park! With immediate effect, I’m making it FREE, yes FREE, for the community and the public to use.” 

Braddick owns the Pier House bar and restaurant near the car park. He told Facebook users: “Please do park up and stroll over to the Pier House for a coffee or a cold pint (not free!). Enjoy!”

The car park is next to Braddicks Holiday Park. Braddick told Parking Review: “The land the car park is on used to belong to our family in the 1950s – it was a campsite run by my grandfather. Four months ago I went to see Torridge District Council to see if they would give me a long lease, and they agreed.”

Braddick said that “in an ideal world” people would park at the site and spend money at his bar, but added that this was not compulsory. 

“If you go out of the car park and turn left you can go on a lovely coastal walk. And if you want to do that or just stroll into Westward Ho! without going to my place, that’s absolutely fine.”

He added: “Our family has been in business in the village for 80 years. I thought it would be a nice gesture to offer free parking – something for people from the village, who like to come out here and walk their dogs. Apart from some on-street spaces, this is the only free parking in the village.” 

Asked if he had considered retaining the charge, he said: “No. It’s not always about the money.”

After the sale the council removed its pay & display machine and associated signage. The car park is next to a plot of land which was included in the sale, and Braddick said he is in talks with the council to increase parking capacity to 45 spaces.

The day after buying the lease on the car park for an undisclosed sum, Braddick bought a neighbouring 12-bedroom property Seafield House, for £414,000 in an auction. 

Braddick said that it was a coincidence that the house sale was the day after he had bought the car park.

Devon resident and owner of parking management firm FlashPark Costas Constantino said:  “It’s about time we saw free parking in Devon. But I wonder how long Rob Braddick will be able to do this before the car park get abused with overnight parking by mobile caravans and drivers who live locally using it as a permanent parking spot. I will give him six months before he is issuing tickets. Car parks need car park management.”