Catmose Car Park in Oakham will be unavailable to use as a public car park from 11 January 2021 until further notice.

This temporary change is part of the support measures needed to operate a COVID-19 vaccination centre at Rutland County Council's Catmose offices.

The Council offices were confirmed as a designated COVID-19 vaccination centre on Monday 21 December.

Normally a pay-and-display car park for council staff, shoppers and visitors to the town, Catmose car park will be used exclusively by people who have an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, until such time as the Council offices are no longer needed to assist the vaccination programme.

Catmose Car Park is closed for the duration of week commencing Monday 21 December. It will reopen briefly from Saturday 26 December before closing indefinitely as a public car park from Monday 11 January – mirroring the operation of the vaccination centre.

Alternative parking is available nearby in South Street, Brooke Road, Church St, Westgate and Burley Road car parks.

Coun Lucy Stephenson, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "This is a temporary change being made under exceptional circumstance, in order to make sure people can access the COVID-19 vaccine. This is critical to help the UK overcome this pandemic, so it's important that the Catmose vaccination centre is able to operate as efficiently as possible.

"There will be large numbers of people needing to access the site over a period of months, to receive their vaccinations. In order to keep traffic moving and make sure people can attend appointments, it's necessary to suspend public parking at Catmose and devote this space entirely to the vaccination programme."

For more information about the UK's COVID-19 vaccination programme, visit: www.gov.uk/coronavirus.