Can Adding a Car Park Add Value to Your Business?
Estimated reading time 6 minutes
If you own a commercial property, there is every chance that you are always looking for new ways to drive footfall and see revenue increase. Often it revolves around promotions, some clever marketing, or a brand awareness programme. Have you ever thought that there is the potential for something much more long-term that is literally on your doorstep?
A commercial surfacing project like a new carpark or pathway can transform your business and help develop a modest footfall into something much larger and more consistent.
At Tidey & Webb, we have undertaken many commercial surfacing projects since our inception over 30 years ago and it is noticeable that adding a carpark in particular, not only provides a fresh revitalised look to a business but due to the longevity provided by many surface types, it stands to benefit the business for many years to come. Where an event or a promotion may last a weekend, a carpark can last for 10-20 years or more and that alone drives more customers your way!
What surface should you choose for a car park?
No matter whether you operate a hotel, a supermarket, a retail store or an event venue, a car park stands to increase the dwell time of visitors which in turn means increased revenue. With that in mind, you want a surface that provides you with great value but also durability, low-level maintenance, good weight-bearing capabilities and permeability.
This gives you plenty of options and depending on the size of the space you are planning to use for a car park you may find yourself spoilt for choice.
Dense bitumen macadam provides a great option for car parks thanks to its weather-resistant capabilities, its striking appearance and durability. Perfect for vehicles of heavy weight, it’s a surface that requires little maintenance and provides you with a car park surface that can last for years to come.
Another popular option is polymer modified asphalt. Similar in appearance to the above-mentioned DBM, this modified asphalt known as PMA is incredibly durable and has fantastic resistance to cracks, cold weather and high temperatures. So popular is it that racetracks, runways, and motorways often opt for this surface type.
Of course, other surfaces are great for car parks and much depends on the level of traffic your carpark will encounter. Feel free to speak to a surfacing specialist like Tidey & Webb to find out what may be the best type of surface for your car park space.
Benefits a carpark brings to customers and staff
Multi-story car parks are often the bane of many, the expensive hourly charges often deterring people from visiting a certain part of town or shopping area. By installing a carpark at your retail outlet, supermarket or venue, you give customers a more affordable and practical parking option.
Practicality is often key when visiting a venue or using a supermarket. People are not fans of being far from their car when there are lots of bags to carry. Likewise, if the nearest carpark is far from the venue, visitors may baulk at the long walk ahead of them to reach the match, concert or show. These factors can result in people either not visiting at all or spending less than the desired time there.
Furthermore, parking spots across towns and cities may have short drop-off and pick-up times and when these times are exceeded, penalties are sometimes issued. This makes for an expensive journey into town that would have been significantly cheaper if the shop, supermarket or venue had its own parking facility.
From the perspective of employees, a car park adds a further benefit of not just practicality but safety too. Having their car parked nearby puts it in an area where it is more likely to be securely monitored and also gives the employee a safer journey back to their vehicle.
How a car park can bring added security to your business
With the added convenience and security, a car park brings to both your customers and team members, it also brings additional security to your business.
Car theft is a problem in the UK and thieves like to operate where they are less likely to be spotted. A car park for your business groups many cars together and helps reduce the possibility of theft. With limited means of escape and consistent footfall, a thief won’t find much success trying to steal a car from a busy car park.
Add barriers to limit the chance of escape and consider the addition of CCTV and ANPR systems so should there have been an incident at the venue or in-store, you have a vast amount of data collated due to the presence of a car park and its security features.
Maintaining your carpark to help deliver consistent results
Your new carpark surface will have a relatively long life span before it starts to show any sign of degradation, but when it does, you need to be prepared. Should you have had a poorly installed car park surface, you may find that potholes, bumps, and cracks all appear. These not only make the car park less aesthetically pleasing but also less safe. There are, according to the RAC, 2 million potholes in the UK and for the twelve months up to June 2023, there were 27,250 breakdowns that can be attributed to defective surfaces.
If one of these breakdowns was to happen on your property, word will soon spread, reputation will soon fall and the potential for possible compensation payouts could rise.
By staying on top of your resurfacing needs with regular preventative maintenance and checks you will alleviate the potential for problems. And when they do start to occur, you will be able to spot them before they develop into something dangerous.
If you feel the addition of a new car park or the resurfacing of your current one could be necessary, contact the Sussex and Surrey surfacing contractors Tidey & Webb. With an expert team on hand that has over 30 years of surfacing experience, we can restore your surface to its best condition or lay a brand-new one that can last you for years to come. Contact us today to find out how we can transform your surface, whether it be a car park, a footpath, a playground or more!
