Local businesses have spoken out over their frustration with new parking charges proposed to come into Daventry next year, however they have vowed that they won’t go down without a fight.

As part of the release of the draft budget due to go to the West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) cabinet on Monday December 22, charges could be introduced in market towns across the area if approved in the final budget in February 2026.

West Northants Council said it knows the “proposals are not going to be popular with everyone”, but that its “top priority must be protecting the most essential services and our most vulnerable people”.

Visitors can expect to pay from 50p for 30 minutes of parking to £5.50 for up to five hours. Car parks that will be affected in Daventry are Brook Street, Chapel Lane, Chaucer Way, Easter Way, Golding Close, High Street, Lodge Road, Lodge Road Upper, Old Gas Works, Primrose Hill, St James Square, St John’s Square, The Doubles, The Hollow, Welton Road Undercroft.

Car parks across Daventry are currently free to park in

placeholder image — Car parks across Daventry are currently free to park in

One of the managers at the independent bookshop Suddenly On Sheaf Street, Tom Welch, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the proposed charges coming to Daventry would be “outrageous”.

“We attract a lot of people in from different towns and villages. They come here and they say it’s so nice not to be charged for parking,” he said.

“It would definitely affect footfall. Independent businesses are already struggling as we’re up against big retail parks. We’re trying to get people into the high street and into the town centre.”

Tori Challice, who works in Feather Robins Gifts and commutes from Northampton, also raised concerns about the cost of parking for staff who need to travel in for the day.

She added: “Northampton put the parking prices up in the town centre and all the people stopped going. It will kill the town.

“Our shop only opened in Daventry in October and it seemed to be doing well. Now, if [the new parking prices] happens, we’ll already take a massive setback.”

Benjy, owner of the Baker Benjy bakery, called the proposals “utterly disgusting”.

He added: “I’ve only been here for a year now, but all of the obstacles we’ve been through and now they’re threatening bringing in the parking charges.

“Daventry boasts its free parking and the independent businesses we all look out for one another – it’s a really good community. To bring those charges in really leaves a sour taste.

“It feels like we’re being attacked from all sides.”

Owner of Daisy B’s Boutique, Sarah McCrossan, said: “Obviously, it’s not going to be good for independent businesses and it’s not going to be good for the footfall in the town.

“We’ll resist it as hard as we can – we can’t let this be the end of our town. It will be challenging, but we will overcome and we’ll put up a fight.”

Discover Daventry, the public-facing platform of the Daventry Retail Forum, which supports businesses in the town centre, added: “The local retailers are devastated because Daventry has never had charges imposed on it.

“What I love about Daventry is that people have a dream of opening a shop and they come here to do it. It still has a really busy market and every week the cafes are always full – we’re bucking the trend and we’re a growing high street.

“Now, we are being asked to replicate Northampton, which I would say is really struggling. It’s really hard having your own independent businesses and a drop in revenue will kill some of them.

“Please reconsider. We’re not asking for much, we just want to keep our free parking and that’s it.”

Ensuring ‘the voice of Daventry is clearly heard’

Conservative MP for Daventry, Stuart Andrew, has put out a petition to stop the charging plan and keep parking in the town free.

He said: “Introducing charges where parking has always been free would be deeply damaging for our local businesses. It risks reducing footfall, discouraging shoppers, and undermining the vitality of our town centre at a time when many small businesses are already under significant pressure.

“The council’s cabinet meets on Monday, and I will be attending the meeting to ensure that this petition, including the total number of signatures at the time, is presented and that the voice of Daventry is clearly heard.

“If residents have not yet signed, there is still time. Every signature strengthens the case for the council to rethink these proposals and reverse course.”

He also said there are paper copies are available in a number of local shops across the town, for those without internet access.

Cllr Peter Matten (Conservative), who represents Daventry North East, said he was “wholeheartedly” against charging for parking in Daventry and emphasised the importance of supporting local shops, market stalls and businesses.

“The residents of Daventry and all of West Northants should be furious, in my opinion,” he added.

The other WNC councillors representing Daventry were also contacted for comment, but have not replied to the LDRS at the time of publication.

A spokesperson for Daventry Town Council also added: “The Town Council remains firmly of the view that the introduction of parking charges in Daventry Town car parks, would undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on the town, preventing future commercial development within Daventry Town centre and further affecting the business community, which continues to face significant challenges stemming from the cost-of-living crisis, reduced footfall, and changes in consumer behaviour.”

Speaking about the proposed parking charges in the market towns, Cllr Mark Arnull told the LDRS: “We do listen to residents’ concerns and we are aware of the potential knock-on impacts of implementation of charges in areas where they’ve not been there.

“We’ve got statutory responsibilities to deliver certain functions. We got to the fees and charges as the very last measure we can tweak to bring the budget into balance.

“It is the case we can revisit, should we know what fair funding is and throughout the consultation process that starts on December 23.”

The proposed car parking charges and other elements of the 2026/27 budget will be discussed by the cabinet from 6pm on Monday, December 22, in The Forum, Towcester.