Rugby Central Shopping Centre Launches Smarter Barrierless Parking with Hozah

Rugby Central Shopping Centre has taken a major step towards a smoother, more convenient parking experience by partnering with Hozah to replace its outdated barrier-based system with a smarter, barrierless solution.

Serving around 100,000 visitors each week, the two-storey town-centre shopping destination in Rugby, Warwickshire is home to more than 50 outlets and plays a key role in the local retail landscape.

The upgrade represents a significant step forward for the town-centre destination, improving ease of use for drivers and helping the centre reduce ongoing maintenance and operational challenges.

Moving Away from Barriers and Tokens

Prior to working with Hozah, parking at Rugby Central relied on a traditional barrier-controlled system. This system used physical security barriers at entry and exit points. Drivers collected a chip coin (a small token with an embedded chip for machine recognition) on entry, paid at a machine on exit, and inserted the chip coin to raise the barriers.

While familiar, the system had ongoing issues:

• Barriers frequently broke due to vandalism, accidents, and general wear and tear;
• Payment machines suffered from paper and coin jams;
• Maintenance and repair costs were consistently high; and
• The customer journey was slow and inconvenient at peak times

These issues caused customer frustration and unnecessary operational overhead for the centre, prompting the move to a more reliable, future-ready solution.

A Modern Parking Experience with Hozah

With the Hozah Ecosystem in place, Rugby Central now operates a barrierless parking system supported by modern ANPR technology and digital payment software, eliminating the need for physical barriers and tokens.

The new setup includes:

• Hozah AutoPay, a service that automatically charges registered drivers, allowing them to park and exit without stopping at any payment point.
• Hozah PaybyWeb allows users to pay for parking on their mobile devices without account registration.
• Two cash and card payment machines, ensuring accessibility for all users
• Season tickets for regular users

By removing physical barriers and introducing flexible digital payment options, the centre has significantly reduced the risk of system breakdowns and created a smoother, more intuitive parking experience for shoppers and visitors.

Supporting the Launch with On-Site and Digital Marketing

To support the transition, Hozah delivered a coordinated launch campaign across both digital and physical touchpoints.

Supporting Drivers On-Site from Day One

To ensure a smooth transition, the Hozah team was on-site during the launch, working directly with customers to help them get familiar with the new barrierless experience.

Hozah brand ambassadors were available throughout the day to:

•       Guide drivers through the new ways to pay;
•       Answer questions about Hozah AutoPay and Hozah PaybyWeb;
•       Provide reassurance to customers using the system for the first time; and
•       Help create a positive first impression of the upgraded car park.

This hands-on approach played a key role in building confidence, minimising confusion, and ensuring customers could enjoy a seamless experience from day one.

Digital and Physical Launch Materials

Alongside on-site support, Hozah also prepared a full suite of digital and physical marketing assets to raise awareness and clearly communicate the changes.

These included:

•       Website and social media content explaining the new digital payment options;
•       Customer-focused messaging to support the introduction of barrierless parking on the client’s website;
•       Leaflets clearly explaining the new payment methods;
•       Posters for stairwells and lift areas;
•       An information stand with small giveaways to help draw attention to the change; and
•       Clear signage for three on-site validation tablets, located at: Adventure Zone, Purity Hair Salon, and Centre Management Suite.

Together, these materials ensured that customers were well-informed and confident in using the new system from launch onwards.

Early Feedback and What’s Next

Early feedback from both the centre team and customers has been positive, with users highlighting a simpler, more convenient parking experience and improved reliability.

The key objectives of the project were to:

• Reduce repair and maintenance costs;
• Improve customer satisfaction and ease of use; and
• Deliver steadier, more sustainable parking revenue.

Initial results show the new system is already delivering against these goals. Despite parking fees remaining unchanged at the client’s request, Hozah’s first month of operation at Rugby Central saw parking revenue increase by more than 15% year on year due to better compliance, highlighting the immediate commercial benefits of improved reliability, accessibility, and customer experience.

A Strong Foundation for Future Growth

Rugby Central Shopping Centre demonstrates how barrierless parking can transform everyday journeys for customers while delivering long-term operational benefits for asset owners.

Looking ahead, the centre and Hozah will explore additional features, promotions, and data-driven improvements to further enhance the parking experience and support ongoing growth.

Speak to our team to find out how Hozah can transform parking at your site