15-minute stop at beach cost visitors £100
THEY WON’T RETURN AFTER ORDEAL
TWO grandparents have been put off from visiting the East Yorkshire beach they love after a 15-minute visit landed them with a huge parking fine.
Anne Thorpe and her husband, Edward, travelled from Leeds to the Bridlington coast for a holiday.
On their way home, her son pulled up in the Fraisthorpe Beach car park, now owned by Sheffield company Excel Parking Services.
The 71-year-old had taken her son and grandchildren to Fraisthorpe Beach on August 11, at around 4.30pm to show them her favourite spot.
Mrs Thorpe claims her son, who was driving, did not leave the car and waited inside it in case a parking warden visited, so he could pay them.
She claims she did not see the signs instructing on how to pay.
When they had visited the beach in the past, Mrs Thorpe recalls that drivers paid £3 at a booth.
However, she said when she visited this time, “the booth was still there, but it was not manned.”
She said: “We were staying at South Beach for a few days and on the way home we wanted them to see the beach, because we’ve been before and it’s a lovely beach.
“I told my son, ‘stay in the car and if he comes I’ll pay him.’
“I just took the kids to see the beach for 15 minutes or so, but no one had been to take payment.”
After their visit, Mrs Thorpe received a fine through the post for £60, despite her son being the driver and the car belonging to him.
She paid the fine, but later received letter saying that they would be charged an extra £40 for sending the cheque too late.
She appealed the fine, but her appeal was not upheld.
Mrs Thorpe said: “No I wouldn’t go back there and that’s a shame, because it’s a beautiful part of the world.
“I love that beach, but no I wouldn’t and the café is lovely, but I wouldn’t go there again.”
She has also written to the landowner of the car park asking why Excel has been employed to manage the car park, as the company has “at least 135 Tripadvisor complaints”. “I would question why this guy, who is worth £4m, is using a company like that,” she added.
No I wouldn’t go back there and that’s a shame, because it’s a beautiful part of the world Mrs Thorpe