Festive shoppers in Kenilworth have been handed an early Christmas present after the leader of Warwick District Council announced that parking would be free in council-owned car parks throughout December.

Cllr Andrew Day (Con, Bishop's Tachbrook) said he hoped the move would help support local businesses as they continued their struggle to survive the coronavirus pandemic.

He made the announcement at this week's full council meeting after urging residents to tune in to the virtual switching on of the lights in Kenilworth on Friday.

Cllr Day said: "At this particular moment we have a role to play to give good cheer even if it is in a virtual way.

"It's important to really back our local businesses and local community. They have been extraordinarily resilient – the independent traders, the markets and other elements of our community life have shown just how strong Warwick district is and how hopeful we all are for a strong bounce-back."

He praised some of the initiatives launched across the area to encourage shoppers to return once the current lockdown was over which would allow the towns' High Streets to reopen.

He added: "The good news I'd like to announce tonight is that somehow we've dived down the back of the sofa, scrambled and scraped and are able to support free parking for Christmas that will effectively run through December so that we can encourage our residents to drive safely into town to shop and support our local businesses."

Cllr Day urged those working in the town centres not to use up the car park spaces so that customers could fully benefit.

In a further pre-Christmas boost, the portfolio holder for culture and neighbourhood, Cllr Moira-Ann Grainger (Con, Warwick All Saints and Woodloes), announced that new car park charges across the district would not be introduced in January but brought in later in the year.