Free parking is being provided on Saturday 20 April in all council-owned public car parks in Oakham, prior to the unveiling of a statue in memory of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday 21 April.  

The 7ft (2.1m) bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth has been commissioned by the Lord-Lieutenant and funded by donations from businesses and members of the public. It will be England's first permanent memorial to Her Late Majesty and will go on display outside Oakham Library on Sunday 21 April.

Ahead of this event, free parking is set to be trialled in Oakham car parks owned by Rutland County Council (RCC) on Saturday 20 April.

The aim of this trial is to bring more shoppers into town, the event coinciding with the monthly Farmers Market on Oakham's Gaol Street.

Oakham Town Council, who have organised this trial with the support of RCC, will be at the Farmers Market throughout the day, and have invited residents to pop down to discuss this free parking trial and other thoughts or concerns that they would like heard.

Some have praised the initiative, while some have suggested that, to get a good gauge of whether or not free parking will encourage residents to shop locally, free parking should take place across multiple weekends.

Users of the RingGo parking app will receive a message that parking is free on Saturday 20th April, while payment machines will display a temporary notice during this time. Pre-paid parking sessions cannot be refunded and council car parks in Uppingham remain chargeable.

The offer of free parking in Oakham on Saturday 20 April is being subsidised by Oakham Town Council. All on-street parking restrictions remain in place and Civil Enforcement Officers will be on duty as normal, to ensure safe and responsible parking for the benefit of residents and visitors. 

Councillor Christine Wise, Portfolio Holder for Transport, Environment and Communities said "We're very pleased that Oakham Town Council has enabled free parking as Oakham gets ready to celebrate the life and legacy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We would like to thank OTC for their work in the town and hope people take the opportunity to shop local and bring a welcome boost to retailers and small businesses."

The offer of free parking only applies to Rutland County Council-owned public car parks in Oakham, including Kilburn Road Car Park. More information on parking in Rutland, including a full list of Council car parks, can be found online.