Mayorhold car park to close permanently

Northampton’s Mayorhold car park will be permanently closed after a further condition survey showed the potential extent of its deterioration.

It follows West Northamptonshire Council’s decision in July to temporarily close the building following public safety concerns after instances of crumbling concrete on one of the internal posts.

The car park is over 50 years old and has reached the end of its useful life. A structural survey undertaken following the temporary closure has highlighted the corrosion that led to the crumbling concrete will likely increase and there is a risk of further incidents.

With the corrosion not confined to a specific location, the building would require extensive repairs to enable it to re-open safely. As the car park is earmarked for demolition, the council cannot justify spending taxpayers’ money in this way.

The town centre continues to provide ample parking spaces at alternative car parks, with the closest being within the Grosvenor, St Michaels, Wellington Street and Newlands. 

Cllr John Slope, West Northamptonshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance said: “We recognise this news will come as a disappointment to regular users of Mayorhold car park and neighbouring businesses, but the safety of car park users always comes first.

“The structural survey has highlighted that repairs to sections of the building including the ground floor and access ramps would be required for it to safely re-open. There is no guarantee that other sections of the building would not require similar repairs in the future. It is also important to note that the car park was significantly under-utilised on a daily basis.

“With the building due for demolition as part of the wider Greyfriars redevelopment work, it does not make financial sense for us to invest in lengthy and costly repairs on a car park that was already due to be closed permanently.

“We apologise for the inconvenience this decision causes and encourage former users of Mayorhold car park to use one of the alternative sites close by.”

Please visit the Northampton Town Centre car parks page for details of alternative car parks