Traders in Marlborough are monitoring a scheme in Hungerford where shops refund parking fees, to see if they could follow suit.

Shops in Hungerford, as in Marlborough and probably every other market town, are suffering from a drop in customers due largely to the recession and changing shopping patterns with many more people buying online.

Hungerford Chamber of Commerce decided to woo more people to the Berkshire town with the free parking incentive.

It has even decided to advertise in Wiltshire to try to attract more customers.

Marlborough Chamber of Commerce is concerned that things could get worse if a Tesco store opens in the Business Park in Salisbury Road, because it would have free parking.

The new Tesco in Hungerford, in the former Somerfield store, already has that advantage but the chamber of commerce has hit back with its refund scheme.

More than 30 business in Hungerford including the Three Swans and the John O’Gaunt Inn are taking part in the parking fee redemption scheme.

Shoppers using any of those business will get a one hour 50p refund if they spend more than £5 any one of the participating businesses or 90p to cover two hours parking if they spend over £10.

Parking machines give a two-part ticket; one part to go on the windscreen and other half that can be handed in at the shops which can claim back the cost against their VAT.

The refunds will be issued only once because the shops taking part will retain the customers’ receipts.

Deborah Blake, who runs Sugarmouse traditional sweet shop in Hungerford with husband Ben who is chairman of the town’s chamber of commerce, said: “It’s going really well and we have been getting good feedback from shops.”

Peter Davidson, president of the Marlborough chamber, said: “We are already working on a redemption scheme having taken it to our retail forum and they thought it was a good idea.”