New parking rules at Weston-super-Mare’s town centre supermarket may lead to more people shopping elsewhere, a Mercury poll has found.

Weston Mercury: Tesco car park in Weston-super-Mare.Tesco car park in Weston-super-Mare. (Image: Archant)

Last week, Tesco bosses announced they were planning to introduce new parking measures at the Station Road store, meaning people will only be able to park for free for up to half an hour.

If people want to park for free for between 30 minutes and two hours, they must spend £5 in store.

There is no option to pay more to stay for longer than two hours, and those staying over the time will be fined £70.

On a Mercury poll, 68 per cent of people said the rules would stop them from shopping at Tesco in the future.

The news received a mixed response on the Mercury’s Facebook page.

However others, such as Kate Morris, understood the store’s decision.

She said: “Makes sense to me. Tourists, shoppers (for other shops), train commuters etc have all been using it as a free car park, making it increasingly difficult for actual patrons of Tesco to get a space.

“Obviously, Tesco wants their customers to be able to park and shop with them with ease. It’s their car park after all.”

Steven Morris said motorists started parking at Tesco when on-street parking charges were introduced in Weston in 2012.

He said many of them will now park in the town centre streets.

Steph Humphries said: “By all means do it but the council needs to build more parking in town first. It’s crazy trying to park anywhere near town.”