Stafford evening economy report highlights parking perceptions, transport gaps and opportunities

A new report looking at Stafford’s evening economy says the town has strong demand, established events and relatively low serious crime, but identifies concerns around transport, parking, lighting, event organisation and how different parts of the council work together.

The final report from Stafford Borough Council’s Evening Economy Task and Finish Group is due to be considered by the Economic Development and Planning Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 6 October. It is based on qualitative interviews with businesses, residents, visitors and event organisers, as well as discussions with council officers, rather than a representative public survey.

The report says Stafford has evidence of demand for evening activity, with strong attendance at free public events and repeat visits to markets, festivals and heritage days. Restaurants and pubs spoken to during the work said between 70% and 80% of their turnover was generated during evening hours.

Parking is a concern, but the data shows spaces are available

One of the main concerns raised during interviews was parking. People said convenient evening parking had been lost and that some remaining car parks felt too far from venues, particularly where the walk was perceived to be poorly lit.

The report says this can be a particular deterrent for older visitors, performers and people attending cultural events after dark.

However, the parking data included in the report suggests the wider town centre does not have an overall shortage of spaces in the evening.

Stafford town centre currently has 1,054 parking spaces. Across the four quarters examined, payments made after 6pm represented between 15.9% and 21% of the total number of spaces.

During the example week beginning 27 July, Friday was the busiest evening, with 281 post-6pm payments, equivalent to 26.7% of total spaces. Saturday was 23.7%, while Sunday was just 5.1%. The report says that even when the example is adjusted to reflect an average week, Friday evening usage would still be just under 30% of total capacity.

The report therefore identifies a mismatch between the perception that there is not enough parking and the amount of parking actually available across the town centre.

It suggests part of the problem is that the most convenient car parks, including South Walls and Broad Street, are more likely to become busy, while alternatives such as Waterfront remain significantly underused.

Distance and accessibility still matter

Although the figures show spaces are available, the report does not dismiss concerns about convenience.

It says most journeys from larger car parks to key evening destinations are around 0.4 miles or less, with the longest example given being approximately half a mile from Doxey Road car park to the Odeon.

The report acknowledges that while a difference between a 0.3-mile and 0.4-mile walk may be insignificant for some people, it could be enough to discourage others with mobility or accessibility needs from visiting the town centre.

Poor lighting also raised as a concern

Lighting was another issue raised during the interviews, particularly where people felt they faced a long or poorly lit walk back to their vehicle.

The report says these concerns are difficult to quantify and notes that Waterfront, described as possibly the best-lit town centre car park with a well-lit route towards the High Street, is still underused.

It recommends investigating the issue further as part of town centre planning rather than assuming that lighting alone explains why some car parks are less popular.

Among the recommendations are improved lighting on key pedestrian routes and clearer signs for evening parking and taxi drop-off points.

Bus and taxi services creating further barriers

Transport outside the town centre was also identified as a significant challenge.

The report describes evening and weekend bus services as weak and says travelling into Stafford for an evening activity and returning by bus can be difficult from surrounding communities.

It specifically says that making an evening return journey by bus from Eccleshall or Gnosall is currently not possible. Taxi availability was also described as unreliable, particularly during the week.

Bus services are primarily a Staffordshire County Council responsibility, and the report acknowledges that Stafford Borough Council has limited ability to address some of these transport issues directly.

What does the report say is working well?

The report also identifies areas where existing arrangements appear to be working.

Outdoor seating is one example. During a walk through the town centre on a Friday evening, the report’s author found that almost every premises with a suitable frontage around the High Street, Market Square and surrounding streets appeared to have outdoor seating.

The report concludes that sitting-out licences are being widely used and that the Borough Council appears to be licensing them appropriately.

It also notes that provisions exist to make approval easier for repeat events once organisers have established a relationship with the council.

Stafford’s established events are themselves highlighted as an asset, with strong attendance suggesting there is an audience willing to spend time in the town centre when there is a clear reason to visit.

Event organisers call for greater certainty

One area identified for improvement is the process for approving events.

The report says organisers have raised concerns about decisions sometimes being confirmed relatively close to an event, despite applications having to be submitted months in advance for larger events.

Current guidance requires at least eight weeks’ notice for events with fewer than 500 people, three months for events attracting between 500 and 1,000, six months for events between 1,000 and 5,000, and nine months for events attracting more than 5,000 people.

However, the report says these are submission deadlines rather than targets for when organisers can expect a final decision.

It suggests the council could consider clearer expectations around decision times and potentially provide a single point of contact for certain events.

Recommendations for Stafford’s evening economy

The report recommends treating the early evening economy, broadly between 4pm and 10pm, differently from later nightlife when considering licensing, risk and town centre policy.

It also proposes a single set of aims for Stafford’s evening economy, improved lighting, clearer parking information and a regular forum bringing together council representatives, police, businesses and event organisers.

The report suggests that future town centre development could also help by bringing more people into central Stafford, increasing activity and making routes through the town feel more visible and well used after dark.

The recommendations have not yet been adopted as council policy. They are due to be considered by Stafford Borough Council’s Economic Development and Planning Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on Tuesday 6 October at 6.30pm.