The mystery of Lanark’s ‘secret’ car parks

So say those concerned that, not only is the lack of parking damaging the town’s economy, visitors to Lanark are given hardly a clue WHERE its car parks are, especially its main public one to the rear of the High Street at Bernard’s Wynd.

The problem has been highlighted by Eleanor McLean, currently working on a voluntary basis to boost tourism and visitor numbers to the town.

She said that she’d carried out an experiment, driving into Lanark from the Hyndford Bridge side and, putting all local knowledge out of her mind, using purely the road signs to find her way into the town and into the main car park.

“I just pretended to be a tourist, coming into Lanark for the first time,” she said. “I got to the Retail Park and saw the signs for New Lanark and for the Tourist Information Centre and the Town Centre.

“It was only when I got to the traffic lights at the junction of Bannatyne Street and the High Street I noticed a tiny little sign high up on a lamppost, next to the Port Vaults pub, pointing down the South Vennel to the Bernards Wynd car park.

“It was discoloured with damp, too small and too high up the lamppost. It was the only sign I saw for that car park.”