Car park fees increase at Devon beauty spot

Northam Burrows season ticket to rise

Moves to increase charges for season ticket holders at Northam Burrows car park and not the day rate have been slammed as penalising locals.

Torridge District Council will increase weekly tickets from £21 to £24 from April and a seven month season ticket from £60 to £70.

Officers say that it is still “incredibly good value for money”

The day rate will be retained at £8 and evening rate at £4.

Fees and charges, which bring in more than £10 million for the council each year and account for 44 per cent of its income, are reviewed every year.

Cllr Chris Leather (Ind, Northam) called the car park at Northam Burrows, a country park next to Westward Ho! beach, a “money spinner” for the council.

At a meeting of the council’s community and resources committee he questioned why local people should get a hit.

“We make a lot of money out of the Burrows, why jump up the prices for the locals where there is real need. I really don’t think we need to increase the season ticket price.”

The committee heard that the season ticket price had been paused since 2023 despite high inflation and the daily rate increased above the rate of inflation to keep season tickets low and retain income.

However the prices were now “out of sync” and there was “an imbalance”.

There was a risk of losing income if the council continued in the same way, said officers, as the Burrows was completely dependent on the weather and day visitors from outside..

“It’s really important that the rates on Northam Burrows remain good value for money,” said lead ranger Mike Day, who compared the prices to some of those in nearby North Devon. “Last year a season ticket at Saunton Sands, which does not have a lifeguard or ranger service or visitor centre, was £230 and Putsborough which does not have any of the services we provide charged £250 so by increasing the charge from £60 to £70 we can remain incredibly good value for money,” he said.

Councillors agreed to the increases for April but asked that Northam Burrows charging was discussed again by the budget working group during the year to “make sure we are doing the right thing for our residents”.

Other car park fees across the district will rise in line with inflation.