New Lanark parking charge

A parking charge is being introduced at New Lanark’s top car park to support the visitor attraction.
The car park charge will help safeguard the future of the restored 18th century mill village.The car park charge will help safeguard the future of the restored 18th century mill village.
The car park charge will help safeguard the future of the restored 18th century mill village.

The World Heritage Site is introducing the fee to help safeguard the village’s future. Visitors to the main car park will pay £3 for a day-long stay while annual permits will be available for £40.

Coming into force towards the end of this month, the new parking arrangements will be managed by an outside company using automatic number plate recognition.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

New Lanark Trust, the charity which runs the historic site, has written to supporters informing them of the change and inviting their feedback. Signs will go up when the charge is introduced.

New Lanark and Owen's house are now fully open for business once again.New Lanark and Owen's house are now fully open for business once again.
New Lanark and Owen's house are now fully open for business once again.

Iain MacKenzie, trust chief executive, said: “Introducing the parking charge is necessary to help safeguard the future of the site. The money raised will help fund ongoing maintenance and also give us the means to continue to develop our reputation as a world-renowned tourist attraction.

“New Lanark attracts more than 300,000 visitors a year and that footfall benefits the local and wider economies. We have to take this measure in order to allow us to take the site forward.”

The parking charges will not affect residents, guests at the New Lanark Hotel or users of the gym.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

New Lanark has also now returned to business as usual, following the pandemic, including Robert Owen’s house, the former residence of the philanthropist and social pioneer.

Owen lived in the mill manager’s house with his wife, Caroline, and their family when he took over the reins in 1800. The house contains his original desk, book collection and portrait.

Andy Cuthbertson, heritage and engagement manager, said: “We’re fully open for the first time in two years and looking forward to an exciting summer as we get back to normal.

“Visiting Robert’s Owen’s House is a way of seeing how the other half lived. It’s still relatively modest for wealthy people of the day but you get a sense of the huge differences between people. You can also visit millworkers' houses from the 1820s and 1930s.”

The New Lanark Experience is open Friday to Monday from 11am to 4pm, last entry 3.30pm. For more, visit www.newlanark.org.