BARGAIN hunters can enjoy a spot of retail therapy for less at two of Salisbury’s competitor towns. At Southampton’s WestQuay, there is no one-hour charge but the two-hour rate is £2, and the three-hour rate £3. West- Quay is only dearer than Salisbury if you stay for more than seven hours.

In Bournemouth, five central car parks are offering three hours for £2, while at Richmond Hill - popular with visitors from out of town - one hour costs 50p, two hours £1, and six hours, £7.

Even Bath compares well with Salisbury. Two hours in Manvers Street or Avon Street car parks or at the SouthGate shopping centre cost £3.10, and up to eight hours, £9.90.

Central parking spaces can be found from as little as 80p for 30 minutes and £1.60 for an hour. And you can often pay by credit card.

Or, as mayor Brian Dalton pointed out, you could go by rail to the heart of the city. “It’s cheaper to book advance train tickets to Bath at £3 each way than park for a day in Salisbury,” he said.

At Wiltshire Council HQ in Trowbridge, parking is free.

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