Businesses including the Goody Hotel, Ecotel charging people going to the Royal Adelaide Show up to $40 for parking

Businesses near the Royal Adelaide Show are charging showgoers up to $40 a day for a spot, with some hiring security to keep away freeloaders.

Ecotel is charging $40 for showgoers. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Several businesses near the Royal Adelaide Show are charging showgoers up to $40 for parking in normally free spaces.

The Goody Hotel, which is just 800m from the event, is charging “regular” pub patrons $40 to use the venue’s carpark while they’re at the show.

A spokesman for The Goody told The Advertiser carpark attendants had been employed to ensure “non-regulars” were not using the space for show parking.

He said people wanting to dine or drink at The Goody were allowed to use the carpark for no fee.

“If we didn’t have someone monitoring it, it would just fill up at nine o’clock in the morning and we would have no room for any customers,” the spokesman said.

The Goodwood Hotel is charging $40 for pub “regulars” who want to go to the show. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

“They (regulars) go to the show but use the hotel at night. They come in to use the gaming room or the bar, and we have plenty of reserved parks for our patrons.

“We don’t sell many at $40 and that’s not our intention. It’s more of a deterrent to allow us to have enough car parks for our patrons.”

Ecotel, which is just 1.2km from the show, is also charging showgoers $40 a park.

The hotel and restaurant supplies business pinned a sign to security gates at the premises reading “parking available, $40 a day, cash”.

An Ecotel spokesman said there were 22 spots available for show attendees costing $30 before 9am and then $40 thereafter.

Parking is monitored by a full-time staff member.

The spokesman said they would donate the parking proceeds to “multiple charities,” after “wage costs have been calculated”.

Drakes supermarket has employed security guards so only customers can use the carpark. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Drakes Wayville supermarket at the corner of Goodwood Rd and Young St has employed a similar tactic.

The supermarket has hired security to ensure parking spots intended for Drake shoppers are not filled up by showgoers.

Royal Adelaide Show spokeswoman Jordan Philp said showgoers could park nearby at the Parklands for $15.

“(It) has a bus depo outside the gate as well as a dedicated train station to the showgrounds and walking distance with the tram,” Ms Philp said.

“We strongly recommend public transport to our venue regardless.

“We also do also parking at the netball stadium on weekdays, which we run a free shuffle bus to and from, for people that are parking there as well.”

On the first day of the Royal Adelaide Show last Saturday, the Munro-Perry family sold parking spaces in their Devon Street North driveway for $30, with all funds raised going towards Opportunity International Australia.

Brothers Angus, 14, and David, 16, advertised and sold the parking spaces with their dad, Anthony Perry, 51, helping move the cars.

“We have five car parks available in our driveway which my younger brother and I sell while my father moves the cars, shuffling them around the street,” David said.