Park Street car park opening date set - but Cambridge traders are angered by council silence

Park Street car park in Cambridge will open following redevelopment on 12 November, the Cambridge Independent can reveal.

The car park was closed in January 2022 for demolition in order to make way for a new £53 million aparthotel to be developed on the city council’s land, with a public car park in the basement.

But shop owners have been angered that Cambridge City Council had not told them of the reopening date and fear customers will be unaware, which could hit their crucial Christmas trading period.

The council confirmed to the Cambridge Independenton Tuesday (October 22) that it will reopen from Tuesday, 12 November, and had been delayed due to bad weather, changes to regulations and supply chain issues.

Vanessa Burkitt, managing director of independent jeweller Catherine Jones, said: “Failure to communicate has been consistent. It makes you question how committed they genuinely are to their professed support of local independent businesses.

“We have no direct information at all about if and when the car park may be reopening. Originally it was only going to be closed for one Christmas, now we are coming up for the third and we have heard nothing.

“I would have started my marketing a month ago. It’s impacted enormously all the businesses in this area. I can’t count how many restaurants have closed all along that strip over the last few years.”

She is now offering to reimburse two hours’ parking charges for any customer who makes a purchase.

Staycity’s Wilde aparthotel will have 229 rooms, which will be equipped with cooking facilities. Under the hotel will be a car park with 225 public car parking spaces.

A Cambridge City Council spokesperson said: “The car park is due to reopen to the public from 10.30am on Tuesday, 12 November. The project team has worked with all the adjacent businesses and residents throughout the project. We have experienced some unprecedented weather, changes to compliance and regulation requiring additional works, and supply chain issues – including a major delay caused by a contractor’s failure to install the power connections – but the team has worked extremely hard to keep delays to a minimum.

“The aparthotel is well under way and is expected to open in spring 2025.”