**Cardiff Shoppers Face Disruption After Sudden Closure of Major City Centre Car Park**
A major city centre car park in Cardiff was unexpectedly closed this morning, causing widespread upheaval for shoppers and motorists alike. The St David’s multi-storey facility, which accommodates up to 2,000 vehicles, is among the largest and most frequented parking destinations in the Welsh capital, particularly during peak periods such as weekends.
The closure, which was implemented following what authorities have described as an ‘obstruction’, sparked concerns about severe congestion in and around the city’s retail district. With St David’s car park offline, weekend visitors were left scrambling for alternative parking arrangements amid already busy traffic conditions.
St David’s Shopping Centre officials released a brief statement via social media to inform the public of the situation. They explained, “Please note that our main car park is temporarily closed due to an obstruction. We are working to resolve this and will update you here when it reopens. The John Lewis car park remains open.” The statement was issued on X (formerly known as Twitter), where updates on the situation are expected to be posted.
The alternative facility, the John Lewis car park, offers a considerably smaller capacity of around 550 spaces — a fraction of what the closed car park accommodates. Inevitably, there were predictions that this would lead to increased demand and potentially longer waiting times for shoppers attempting to find suitable parking for their city centre visit.
A quick check of live traffic information on Saturday morning revealed significant congestion on surrounding roads, including Bute Terrace and Mary Ann Street, both of which provide access to the car park in question. The heavier flow of traffic is likely a direct result of motorists seeking out open spaces elsewhere in the area.
With limited options available directly at St David’s, the public has been encouraged to consider other nearby parking locales. These include several National Car Parks (NCP) locations on Westgate Street, Greyfriars, Pellett Street, and Adam Street, as well as the Capitol Shopping Centre’s own car park. Retailers and city officials have sought to reassure visitors, although tensions have reportedly risen among drivers contending with the revised parking arrangements.
Unsurprisingly, the closure has caused some frustration, especially as the city gears up for a busy weekend. Cardiff is renowned for its lively retail and leisure scene, attracting thousands to its central shopping arcades every week. The sudden loss of substantial parking capacity is poised to have a noticeable impact, particularly on local businesses that rely on steady footfall.
For those planning to visit the centre over the weekend, the advice is to allow extra time for travel, keep up to date with the latest traffic and parking information, and consider public transport or park-and-ride schemes where possible. Centre management emphasised that teams are working urgently to clear the obstruction and reopen the facility as quickly as possible, although no timeline had been provided at the time of writing.
As investigations continue, details about the nature of the obstruction and the expected reopening of the car park remain unclear. The centre has promised to keep shoppers informed through their online channels. For now, patience and flexibility are being urged during this unexpected disruption to city centre routines.