Car parks discourage ‘real’ shopping

ON December 22nd, I ventured out in an attempt to do my Christmas shopping in one visit to Nailsea.

I had been advised by the vast majority of my family to just shop online, with it being a far more convenient way to shop, with goods delivered to your door.

But I wanted to support local shops which are suffering greatly in normal times now exaggerated by this dreadful virus. The result was that, on returning 18 minutes late, I was to receive a parking fine of £100 reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

I obviously have to accept responsibility but I can honestly say that I was completely unaware of a limited parking restriction where I had parked. It would certainly help to avoid others being ‘caught’ that the car parks in question have clear and BOLD signs informing car drivers of the time they are allowed.

Being a person of mature years and nowhere near as fit as I once was, and being a decade past retirement age, to have to seek out T&Cs is not as easy as it used to be.

It feels as though I have been legally mugged! Further, it does absolutely nothing to encourage me to return to high street shopping, thus damaging shop owners and the council, who derive income from their business rates.

It was a first-class job of ensuring that I never return to purchasing goods from the dozen of Nailsea or Clevedon shops that I visited.

Mrs Edwards

Somerset