Up to a hundred extra free car parking spaces will be available in Ludlow over the next three weekends. South Shropshire District Council will open its own car park during Ludlow Festival.

The council’s Corve Street car park will be open from 8am until midnight on the three weekends of the Ludlow Festival, providing up to an additional 100 free car parking spaces.

The festival starts on Saturday and runs until July 6.

The council is also looking into making the move a permanent idea at weekends.

Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith, deputy leader of the council and lead member for resources and internal working, said: “Ludlow is expecting a busy time during its two-week annual arts festival, and thanks to the council’s property services staff, it is going to be possible to open up our car park over the next three weekends for free parking all day.”

There is a maximum of 100 car parking spaces, but on June 28 and July 5, civil wedding ceremonies have been booked to take place at Stone House, so some spaces will be coned off for the wedding groups.

Councillor Taylor-Smith added: “We’ve arranged to keep the car park open till midnight on all six weekend days for the convenience of festival-goers who use it, but we must stress that the car park will be locked at midnight, and any vehicle remaining within the site will not be able to be retrieved until the following day.

“The council is currently looking at the issues and implications of providing a weekend public car parking facility at its Stone House headquarters on a regular basis, not just for ‘high days and holidays’.”