A POPULAR Loch Lomond visitor centre has announced its intention to introduce car parking charges from next year.

Loch Lomond Shores has submitted a planning application as part of a move to bring in fees in 2025. 

From early spring, bosses at the site plan to implement parking charges for visitors, as a direct result of increased costs, and a need to continue funding maintenance and improvements at the attraction.

The charges set to be introduced will be: 50p for up to 30 mins; £1 for up to two hours; £2 for up to four hours; and £4 for all day.

Management have decided to keep these charges to a minimum and, with research showing that 75 per cent of visitors stay for an average of one hour and 45 minutes, this means that the vast majority of visitors will pay £1 for up to two hours for parking.

A representative from the proprietors at Loch Lomond Shores said: “It has been a difficult decision to make as we understand that free parking is a popular part of our offering for our visitors. 

"However, after much research, analysis and discussion, their introduction is a necessity to maintain and improve the visitor experience here at Loch Lomond Shores going forward.

“Our site covers 44 acres and has a diverse environment including woodland, beaches, large external pedestrian areas, walkways, playpark and retail buildings – all of which require constant specialist maintenance year-round. 

"Our team works hard to maintain all of this but the cost of maintenance, repairs and improvements has sky-rocketed post-Covid and, if we want to continue being a high-quality visitor attraction, we must find a way to fund all of these going forward.

“So, while this decision has been difficult, it is a way of safeguarding its future and allows us to continue to not only maintain but improve what we offer our visitors.”

All money raised by the introduction of the charges will be reinvested in Loch Lomond Shores, and help businesses who are impacted by rising costs.