Work to demolish a 500-space car park in Preston city centre begins from this weekend.

Market Hall car park closes to motorists from the end of Friday (4 January).

No cars will be able to enter the car park from 3pm on the Friday, and anyone already parked up has to leave by 8pm on Friday.

Preston City Council is beginning to demolition of the car park as part of the Preston Market’s redevelopment.

A multi-million pound restaurant and cinema complex is being built on the site of the former Indoor Market and car park.

It follows the opening of the city’s new market in February last year under the Outdoor Covered Market.

Read more: New porch put into Preston Market Hall to solve heating problems

Barriers are being put up to close off the Market Hall car park while the initial demolition work by the Bradley Group takes place.

Cabinet member for environment councillor Brian Rollo said: “It’s great to start the New Year with the fourth phase of the Markets Quarter project underway.

“We appreciate this will cause some inconvenience for the public and market traders and thank them for their continued patience and understanding whilst these works take place.”

Demolition work is expected to cost £1.5million.

A council spokeswoman said: “The internal demolition work has already begun, but due to the proximity to the ring road and new market hall it will be a lengthy process.”

Tenterfield Street, which runs under the Ring Road, is being closed for the demolition works. It is closed to motorists from Thursday (3 January) to October this year.

The city council says alternative car parks are available and it has opened a pay and display car park in Penny Street, close to North Road and the Holiday Inn junction in recent months.

Read more: This is what to expect in Preston during 2019

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