Parking firm ordered to repay shopper’s £60 fine

STUART PIKE

THE owners of New Hall Hey retail park have instructed their parking provider to RESCIND a £60 fine handed to a shopper who exceeded the free parking time limit - after an intervention by the Free Press.

And they are making enquiries with parking chiefs to ensure no more “genuine customers” fall foul of the three-hour restrictions - introduced two years ago solely to deter ‘fly-parking’.

Jacqueline Cumpstey, 55, got caught out after spending nearly £300 at the Rawtenstall retail park, as we reported last month.

The Helmshore dental surgery practice manager spent five hours in TK

Maxx, Pets at Home, Home Bargains, Aldi, and Costa Coffee on a rare day off on March 10 - just before the start of lockdown for non-essential shops.

After receiving a £100 penalty charge notice Jacqueline said she “panicked” and paid early to reduce the fine to £60, but then wrote to the car parking firm in a bid to retract the payment - attaching receipts proving that she was a genuine shopper.

Car park management firm Premier Park, last month told us the PCN was issued in line with British Parking Association code of practice obligations.

However, after we contacted the site owners, agents Savills upheld Jacqueline’s appeal.

Their spokesperson said: “We are disappointed to hear of Ms Cumpstey’s ordeal and we take very seriously any concerns our customers may have. She is absolutely right that the parking restrictions were put in place to ensure the parking is used by genuine customers.

“The first time we heard of this issue was when we were in receipt of your email correspondence with our client and at no point have we received any prior communication from Ms Cumpstey. Had Savills received any communication we would have looked into this immediately and rescinded the fine as, based on the information you have provided, she clearly was a genuine customer.”

Savills say they will make the relevant enquiries within the business to ensure that this does not happen again.

They added: “Our ANPR provider advises that they have now received an appeal and we have instructed in these circumstances that the fine

●● Jacqueline Cumpstey will be repaid. Customer satisfaction is at the forefront of our ethos.”

Jacqueline, of Holcombe Road, said she was “delighted” with the outcome, adding: “I hope the rules will change in order to avoid this causing upset to others. I did find the letter very threatening.”