Meadowhall Retail Park car parking megathread

[alchresearch]

But the cinema isn't. You can park on the retail park and go to Pizza Hut, but it's your cinema trip which is taking you over the allotted time.

[Mr Bates]

Parked there today, no problems at all. What's all the fuss about?

[twoshots]

Although I haven't read through the 13 pages of this thread..... We had a fine come through from them after parking for 3 hours 15 minutes, busting the limit by 15 minutes. I followed some of the advice found here:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/119802-private-parking-tickets-template.html

If you've already replied to them then this may be of help:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/119917-private-parking-tickets-template.html

 

If you search the web you'll find that the issue with these types of car parks has been covered quite often, particularly G24. There are a number of points which come up that should be considered by anyone who gets a fine. The main point is to note that a private car paring fine is NOT the same as one given out on behalf of the council.

 

Firstly, despite the official looking letter they send out, they cannot fine the owner of the vehicle. It is not the same as the council giving you a parking ticket, who can by law fine the owner. G24 send the letter out to the owner, paying the DVLA to get their details. As it is a private car park you enter into a contract with them when parking there. This is covered under contract law and is between the driver and G24.

 

Secondly, as it's contract law they can only seek reasonable damages. Although I have no proof I cannot see a judge enforcing a £70 or £90 fine for a small overstay in a free car park.

 

We had a fine, we wrote letters that conform to those suggested in the link I've posted. As time went on they sent out further letters but it is quite obvious they are just a letter factory trying to scam you, they never refer to any of the questions you ask them. We eventually got the inevitable bailiff latter and simply sent them a 'this dept is disputed' 'cease and desist' letter. We have heard nothing since.

 

In short if you pay you're lining the pockets of a company which makes it's money by scaring people into paying excessive fines which are largely unenforceable. The fine for me totalled three stamps and some internet time.

Edited February 22, 2009 by twoshots
por speelung

[saxondale]

waits patiently for the "there`s a car sat on my drive without permission" thread.

[twoshots]

My wife keeps doing that. I sent her a threatening letter covered in red ink that looked like a speeding fine. Unfortunately, I can neither prove it was her that parked there because I was at work nor can I prove it has caused me substantial damages. I did block her in the driveway though

[khizrs]

Just ignore their requests and ask them to take you to court.

 

If it does go to court which it won't just tell them you weren't driving.

[Darbees]

Just ignore their requests and ask them to take you to court.

 

If it does go to court which it won't just tell them you weren't driving.

No one was driving if it was parked.

 

I'll say as I always do on this subject, ignore them, don't respond at all to any of their threats and they will go away.

[Berberis]

Do not respond what so ever and they will eventually go away.

[McThew]

We were fined £75 last year when we went to see The Dark Knight - in the evening I might add, so the shops were completely closed and no one would be using the car park for shopping purposes. (I can see the point if the shops were open and you weren't using it for those reasons, but after that...?) Centertainment has no reliable control over who uses their car parks, so during Arena events they are usually filled with non-Centertainment customers, forcing others to go elsewhere. If you've booked tickets for a movie and there's a good chance you can't park anywhere, the only option is public transport which makes an already expensive night out (can anyone remember when going to the cinema was a cheap night out?) even more expensive and not worth while.

The upshot of this is that we haven't been to Centertainment since last summer and don't intend to go again. And the Meadhowhall Retail Park has lost our custom. We now shop on line if we can't find what we want elsewhere, and usually go to the Odeon or Showroom in town if we’re that bothered about watching a film – but to be fair it’s worked out cheaper over the last five years to buy a home-cinema setup and projector and watch all the films we want on the “big screen” than it has been paying extortionate prices at the cinema – which at around £14 for a couple is a blatant rip-off.

[Berberis]

That the crux of it, isn’t it. Meadowhall retail park's heavy handed money grabbing and centertainments ineffective control on parking is causing customers to go elsewhere. In times like this, that is the last thing either want but they are oblivious to the problem. I doubt they will do anything until they notice their profits dwindle, but not before they price most people out of going to the cinema.

 

Hopefully centertainments loss will be places like the Showrooms gain.