Worthing Heat Network sponsors free parking and amends planned works to support Worthing town centre
Residents and visitors are encouraged to shop local as Hemiko, in collaboration with Worthing Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and Worthing Borough Council, announces a package of support for the town centre until Summer 2025.
Worthing, 2 April 2025 – Hemiko, in collaboration with Worthing Town Centre BID and Worthing Borough Council, is pleased to announce a set of measures to support Worthing town centre over the coming months, leading up to completing works on this phase of the heat network before the summer holidays.
Hemiko has been selected by Worthing Borough Council to develop the Worthing Heat Network, a low carbon infrastructure project that is central to the Council’s Climate Neutral Strategy. Since beginning construction on the network, Hemiko has invested £1.7m into the local, West Sussex supply chain, creating 48 local jobs, with more to come.
Following recent consultation with the Worthing Town Centre BID, Hemiko has agreed with Worthing Borough Council to sponsor free parking at the High Street Multi-Storey Car Park on the first and last Sunday of each month from April until July 2025. Parking will be available to residents and visitors all day on a first-come, first-served basis. The dates for free parking are as follows:
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Sunday 6 April 2025
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Sunday 27 April 2025
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Sunday 4 May 2025
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Sunday 25 May 2025
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Sunday 1 June 2025
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Sunday 29 June 2025
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Sunday 6 July 2025
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Sunday 27 July 2025
This decision was made in response to feedback from representatives of Worthing Town Centre BID and other local businesses on the challenges that the town has faced in recent months. Hemiko takes its commitment to the local community very seriously and is pleased to support this exciting initiative that will support businesses in the town centre.
The free parking dates will coincide with several free events hosted by Worthing Town Centre BID, which are not to be missed. This includes an afternoon with Magician David Croucher and a chance to Meet the Easter Bunny on Sunday 6 April 2025, and the Worthing Street Market Party and VE Day Celebrations on Sunday 4 May 2025. Shoppers are encouraged to visit some of the excellent local businesses based in the Guildbourne Centre and on Chapel Road, which will all remain open over the duration of the works.
Alongside free parking at High Street Multi-Storey Car Park, Hemiko has rescheduled planned works outside the car park, which were originally set to take place from 14-17 April. This follows feedback from the Worthing Town Centre BID via our Construction Sounding Board regarding the potential impact of these works on businesses in the run-up to Easter weekend. These works will be moved to a later date to minimise disruption.
This support package would not have been possible without the close cooperation of Hemiko, Worthing Borough Council, and Worthing Town Centre BID.
To receive regular updates about the construction of the Worthing Heat Network, you can sign up to Hemiko’s mailing list by contacting worthing@hemiko.com.
Quotes:
Chris Horner, Project Manager at Hemiko, said:
"Hemiko is delighted to support the free parking initiative at High Street Multi-Storey Car Park. We understand the importance of supporting our local businesses, especially during times of disruption. By rescheduling our works and sponsoring free parking, we hope to make a positive contribution to growth in the town centre.
Thanks to everyone for their continued patience as we approach the end of works in the summer. We now encourage everyone to go out and enjoy some of the amazing shops and restaurants that Worthing has to offer!”
Hannah Manzaroli, BID Manager at Worthing Town Centre Business Improvement District, said:
“We appreciate the ongoing partnership and efforts to support our town centre. Free parking is a fantastic way to encourage more people to visit, shop, and enjoy everything our businesses have to offer and we look forward to working closely with our partners, Hemiko and WBC to ensure this initiative is well-promoted to local residents and visitors alike”
Councillor Rita Garner, Worthing’s cabinet member for regeneration, said:
“We recognise that the current climate for high street businesses is challenging and would like to thank everyone for their continued patience while the Worthing Heat Network is being developed across the town centre.
“We’re committed to doing as much as we can to help our town centre thrive and hope that the free parking offer will be a great incentive for residents and visitors to come and support Worthing’s traders and the many events happening in the town.”
ENDS
Media contacts
Joseff Reed 07913237463 joseff.reed@hemiko.com
Available for interview (all requests to Joseff Reed)
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Chris Horner, Project Manager at Hemiko
About Hemiko
Hemiko is the leading UK heat networks utility provider. We invest in low carbon heat networks, build them, and run them. Hemiko is currently developing scaled heat networks in Westminster, Worthing, Greenwich, Lincoln and OPDC, amongst others.
About Worthing Town Centre BID
The Worthing Town Centre Business Improvement District is a business led and funded organisation with the vision that the Town Centre is clean, safe and vibrant and where businesses thrive and people regularly visit. The Worthing BID Steering Committee is made up of representatives of the Worthing Town Centre business community each bringing their own expertise and representing BID businesses by sector, size, and location within the town.
About Worthing Borough Council:
The council is working to make Worthing the greenest coastal town in the UK. As a council for the community, it’s committed to being open and transparent with its residents, focusing on issues that matter most to them to improve the town for all. The council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030 and a net-zero area by 2045, with the Worthing Heat Network being one of its key decarbonising projects.