A TRADERS' leader is calling on motorists to boycott Weymouth's harbourside multi-storey car-park after its owners refused to join in a free-Parking Christmas shopping promotion.

Britannia Parking Ltd, the owners of the car-park on Commercial Road, have refused to offer free parking for the town's Christmas light ceremony and Shownight.

Motorists are now being asked to put a dent in Britannia's Christmas coffers and use other sites prepared to support the town's festive fun.

Chief executive of Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, Bill White, said: "I would advise people to look out for those car parks offering free parking and to use them."

"Britannia don't seem to have grasped that the goodwill they could gain from taking part would put them in good stead for the rest of the year."

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council agreed to provide free parking for events last year and have decided to repeat the offer at their town centre sites this Christmas.

Parking will be free for the switching-on of the Christmas lights, between 10am and 5pm at the town centre car-parks in Park Street, Harbourside, Governors Lane, The Loop and the council offices on Saturday, November 24.

The same sites will also be available for free parking on the four Sundays before Christmas, starting from Sunday, December 2.

Weymouth's Shownight, on Thursday, November 29, will benefit from free parking in the town centre sites and the Swannery car park.

Mr White said: "We are grateful to the council for their help, but it is still discouraging that the owners of the multi-storey car-park have refused to join in."

Chairman of the borough council's environment committee Coun Jim Churchouse said Britannia's refusal did little to promote the co-operation that would help Weymouth thrive.

Mr Churchouse said: "It is a matter of goodwill, we did write to the company but they didn't feel able to get involved.

"I can only regret that they chose not to."

Managing director of Britannia, Graham Stuart, in a letter of refusal to the Chamber of Commerce, said: "The car park now has to sustain a high level of rent."