Roads in the centre of town are narrow and many homes have no driveways. As a result, street parking is at a premium and visitors can help local residents by making use of the designated car parks. The parks are shown on the map above and described briefly below. 
 
Shaftsbury Road Car Park

This is a small car park at the rear of the Parish Hall. Access is via Nelson Road and Shaftsbury Road. An alleyway provides a short-cut from the park to Oxford Street for pedestrians.

A useful car park if you wish to use the amenities in Oxford Street. These include Whitstable Museum, The Visitor Centre, Library, Parish Hall and shops.
 
Middle Wall Car Park

Located in Middle Wall, this car park serves the main High Street Shopping Centre (including The Playhouse and St Alphege Church). Several alleyways provide pedestrian access to the High Street form Middle Wall.

Although  busy, the park has a high turnover and spaces normally become available quickly.  
 
Gladstone Road Car Park

This serves the main High Street Shopping Centre and is located alongside Whitstable General Post Office. 
 
Cushing's View Car Park

This is a much sought after car park! It is located virtually on the beach close to several famous Whitstable landmarks - including the Oyster Restaurant, Pearsons Crab and Oyster House, Neptune Public House and the new "Upturned Boat-Shaped" Community Building. It is also convenient for Harbour Street and the northern section of the High Street.

Can be difficult to secure a sace as users tend to park for lengthy periods of the day - particularly at weekends and in summer. 

 
Victoria Street Car Park

Access is via Victoria Street - a sideturning off Harbour Street. Remember that Sea Street and Harbour Street form a circular one way system (as shown by the arrows on the map). 

The car aprk is ideal for shopping in Harbour Street and the northern section of the High Street. 

 
Gorrell Tank Car Park

This is the largest of Whitstable's car parks and ideal for visitors to the Harbour, Whitstable Yacht club, The Oyster Indoor Bowls Centre, the Ten Pin Bowling Alley and Whitstable Swimming Pool. It is also only a short walk away from the western end of Tankerton promenade and The Castle Grounds.

The park is clearly visible from Harbour Street but the entrance is actually in Westgate Terrace. Turn into Cromwell Road at the traffic lights and then left into Westgate Terrace. 

The park has both height and weight restrictions. Furthermore, parking spaces are limited on Thursday mornings when it accommodates Whitstable Market.

At one time, the land comprised an ugly open reservoir into which a small stream (The Gorrell Stream) flowed. A sluice gate (beneath the main Harbour Street roadway) connected the "backwater" to the harbour. A few decades ago, the reservoir was covered by a concrete roof - thereby creating an underground tank.

Nobody knew quite what to do with the flat concrete roof and so they turned it into a car park. For many years, it was totally under-utilised but Whitstable's recent chic image has attracted many visitors and it is not unknown for the park to be full at weekends.