Perfect day ruined by £40 price of parking
A VISIT to Manchester went so well ... until the moment we were departing.
We arrived just after midday, enjoyed a flurry around the fabulous stores, had an enjoyable lunch at Jamie’s, and then a little bit more browsing and buying. Several hundred pounds’ worth in fact.
As we left the Arndale at 6.10pm the sun was shining so instead of heading back to Burnley for a much-needed drink we decided to join the dozens of others sitting on the restaurant terraces near where the Manchester Eye once turned.
And what a pleasant half hour that was too. Manchester looked resplendent and its residents and visitors were in happy voice – especially considering it was only weeks after the bomb horror just a short distance away.
But it was the return to the car park under Selfridges that caused alarm of almost heart attack proportions.
Now I know a £15 fee for parking in Manchester is the norm. But when we scanned our ticket at the machine ... kerching!
Not £15, not £20, £25, £30. Not even £35. But a whopping great £40! Yes FORTY POUNDS!
Last year in Portugal I hired a car for a week for not much more. Now I was paying not for a car but a car park space. And not for a week but for 6 hours 24 minutes.
If we had returned inside six hours I would have paid only £15. So TWENTY FOUR minutes cost £25.
How can this be? Whatever the explanation it’s neither logical nor acceptable.
And the Manchester shopping and dining experience is now one to forget. Alan Simpson, Burnley