Free parking will be available at the multi-storey car park of the former Flagship Centre in Bangor from 1 July to 1 September.

The Manchester-based investment firm Northhold Group is opening the three-floor, 600-space facility as the first completed stage of its Marina Village development. The group has spent £10,000 clearing drains and repainting parking lines to ready the car park. Complete Parking Services has been appointed to operate it. After the free period ends on 1 September, charges will apply at rates comparable to other parking in Bangor.

Northhold Group described the free parking as a gesture of appreciation for support from residents and stakeholders since the project began. Work to further improve the car park will continue during the summer.

The Flagship Centre opened in 2005 but closed in 2019 after a series of shop closures. At its peak, it housed retailers including Argos, Dunnes Stores, Iceland, the Co-op and Stewart Miller, as well as a food court with outlets such as KFC, Burger King and Subway.

Late last year, urban explorer Jamie Robinson, 25, from Belfast, documented the derelict interior of the centre. His video showed collapsed roofs, smashed shop windows, rotting floors, and boarded-up units throughout the complex.

The wider Marina Village scheme aims to transform the site into a hub of family entertainment, indoor sports, retail, food and beverage outlets, office space, healthcare provision, a creche, and services such as veterinary practices. The developers anticipate it will drive footfall and activity during both day and evening.