How it works

Book online, arrive at the gate, leave on time. No kiosks anywhere.

LookingForCarPark runs a small network of seven directly operated parking and car-wash sites in London and Boston. The booking is the permit at every location — how the gate opens differs by site and we describe each one honestly below.

Book a car park — four steps

From discovery to drive-out. Most bookings take under a minute.

  1. 1. Find a space

    Browse the live network from the homepage or jump straight to the city hubs at /parking/london and /parking/boston. Each detail page shows the address, postcode, walking distance to nearby stations and venues, photos of the bays, and the price grid for cars, vans and motorcycles where supported.

  2. 2. Book online

    Choose your start and end time, register your vehicle plate, and pay through Apple Pay, Google Pay, or card. The booking confirmation email lands within seconds. It contains the booking reference, the plate we have on file, the access method for that site, and links to extend, change, or cancel later.

  3. 3. Arrive on site

    How you get in depends on the site — a gated barrier, a keypad code, a PIN emailed at booking, or an open forecourt where you simply drive in and park in a marked bay. At the open Waterloo site, ANPR cameras read your plate and match it to your booking, so there's nothing to scan. The site-specific instructions are in your confirmation email and on the detail page. There is no kiosk anywhere on our network.

  4. 4. Leave on time (or extend)

    About an hour before your booking ends, we send a reminder so you can extend from the dashboard if you need more time. Run over without extending and the standard overstay rate kicks in — extending in advance is always cheaper. When you leave on time there's nothing to scan or print: at Waterloo you just drive out and ANPR logs your exit against the booking; at Belgravia the exit gate opens automatically as you drive toward it; at Brixton you leave through the same gate you came in, so be out before the 6pm overnight lock-in; at Oxford Circus you re-enter the gate code; at Victoria, Acton and Boston you simply drive out of the marked bay.

Book a car wash — four steps

Hand wash, full valet or detailing — same booking flow. Available at Waterloo and Boston today.

  1. 1. Choose a service

    Hand wash for an exterior rinse, wash, dry and tyre finish. Valeting for full interior plus exterior — vacuum, windows, dashboard. Detailing (Waterloo) for paint decontamination, polish, and an interior deep clean. Service availability differs by site; the detail page shows what's offered.

  2. 2. Book a slot

    Pick a date and a time window. We pay attention to the schedule on busy days — no walk-up queue. Pay online when you book; cash isn't accepted at the wash bay.

  3. 3. Arrive and park

    A car-wash booking includes one hour of parking on the same site at no extra charge. If you need longer, book parking separately for the additional time.

  4. 4. Pick up a finished car

    Our staff work on the booked time slot and finish to the spec of the service you chose. Hand wash typically takes 20–30 minutes; full valeting closer to an hour; detailing longer. We won't surprise you with extras at pickup.

How the gate opens

Different sites use different access methods. We describe each one straight so there are no surprises on arrival.

  • Waterloo (SE1)

    Open forecourt — ANPR-enforced

    Drive straight in and park — no barrier, code or ticket. ANPR cameras read your plate and match it to your booking; vehicles without a valid booking receive a parking charge. Use SE1 7NN in your sat-nav for the entrance (the official postcode SE1 7NQ routes to the building).

  • Brixton (SW9)

    Gated — no entry/exit overnight

    Inside a gated forecourt. The gate is open during the day and locks at 6pm until the next morning. You can leave your vehicle parked overnight, but you cannot drive in or out while it's locked — plan arrival and departure within the open hours, and don't book if you'll need to enter or leave between 6pm and the morning reopen.

  • Belgravia (SW1W)

    Keypad code on arrival

    Tap the number on the keypad and the gate opens. The exit gate at the far end opens automatically as you drive toward it. Park within the white lines only.

  • Oxford Circus (W1S)

    PIN emailed at booking

    A gate code is emailed when your booking is confirmed — check your junk folder if it doesn't arrive. Enter the code at the gate at the end of Mason's Arms Mews to open it.

  • Victoria (SW1) / Acton (W3) / Boston (PE21)

    Marked bays

    No barrier, no code. Park within the marked bays only; your booking acts as the permit.

Free cancellation

Parking: cancel free up to 24 hours before the booking start time. Car wash: cancel up to 2 hours before. Refunds return to the original payment method via Stripe.

Extensions

An hour before your booking ends, we email a reminder with an extension link. Extensions are subject to availability — the dashboard shows whether the space is free past your current end time. Always cheaper than overstaying.

Payment

Apple Pay, Google Pay, or card via Stripe. Most sites are cash-free at the gate. A small number of sites accept on-site payment for walk-ups; the detail page notes the options.

Frequently asked questions

The booking flow, on-site access, payment, refunds, vehicle support — answered in plain language.

Pick a location from the homepage or a city hub, choose your start and end time, register your vehicle plate, and pay through Apple Pay, Google Pay, or card via Stripe. A confirmation email arrives within seconds with the booking reference, the plate we have on file, the access method for that site, and links to extend or cancel.

Ready to book?

Browse the network or jump straight to your nearest site.

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