RESIDENTS are celebrating victory after winning permission to park free in the evening on a supermarket car park.

People were angry after Booths replaced a public pay and display car park at their Knutsford store with a system that clocks registration numbers.

An automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system has been installed on the Stanley Road car park.

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Shoppers can park free for two hours without a need for tickets but residents feared the cameras would be in operation 24 hours a day.

Residents say they use the car park to attend community events or go out for a meal or drink in the evening.

Allan Lewington said: “This could be quite damaging to the night-time economy.

“People use this car park if they go to pubs or restaurants.

“There are also people with mobility problems who leave their cars here to go on a coach to the Halle from the bus station.

“They will be precluded from these activities.

“The site has always provided daytime and night-time parking.

“Like many people, I was pleased when Booths came to Knutsford and have shopped there and used the café regularly.”

Mr Lewington wrote to Booths to express his fears and residents shared their concern on social media.

The supermarket has now announced that the cameras will be switched off in the evening and signs will be changed.

A spokesman for Booths said: “Booths provide two free hours of parking for customers.

“To support evening community events, the cameras are not operational from 8pm to 8am, allowing free access to local community groups.

“Booths has requested that the signage is changed to make enforcement of these parking guidelines clearer.”

After hearing about the store’s decision, Mr Lewington said: “This has made my day. It will be a relief to a lot of people.

“I welcome this decision. I'm going to crack open a bottle.

“I had always regarded Booths as being part of the community.”