Help needed. Think I'm being scammed...

dancingsammyt

My husband and I went to assist on a school trip tonight (6th formers going to laser quest!) and along with some other members of staff, decided to visit the pub next door for a pint afterwards. We parked in the pub car park and went into the laser place then afterwards (approx 1 hour later) we went straight into the pub.

However, the barman took one look at us and told us he wouldn't serve us. We asked why and he said "because you're parked in the car park". We then replied "well yes, we live too far away from here to have walked" and he kept repeating that he wouldn't serve us because we were in the car park. We asked why and he refused to explain and threatened to call the police if we didn't leave. We decided to just go as it was all too bizarre and we were running out of time with our babysitter.

When we got out to the car park, it was very dark and close to empty. There was a parking ticket on the side of each of the teachers' cars, saying that we'd parked there and we weren't authorised (I guess they'd watched us park and then not go straight to the pub). However we were intending to be customers afterwards although I accept they wouldn't have known that.

I think what then happened is that the barman refused to serve us as then we'd have been customers and therefore would have had grounds to appeal the ticket whereas because we weren't allowed to buy a drink, we can't now be classed as customers.

When we arrived at and left the car park, it was really dark and we had to drive around the car park a couple of times when we were leaving before we saw a sign saying parking for customers only but it was impossible to see it unless you shone a light directly at it as it was so dark and hidden.

I know this sounds silly but I rang the local non-emergency police who were actually really interested in it and said that although it is a civil matter and they technically can't help, they told me to approach the ticket company, then the council and then citizens advice.

I just feel that this was a really immoral way for the pub to act. I imagine that the landlord must be fed up of people using the car park and not the pub but we tried to use the pub, and we weren't doing so just to have grounds for appeal...we genuinely intended and attempted to get a drink there! The company wants us to pay £100, reduced to £60 if within 7 days.

We have also just had a think about this and there are a couple of things which don't seem right...

The barman knew who we were the moment we stepped into the pub - they were obviously watching out for us and had seen us leave the car there earlier. As soon as we approached the bar he said "I'm not serving you".

Plus...the ticket is in 2 parts, at the top is the ticket itself and then there's a bit that can be torn off the bottom. It's obviously come off a pad of tickets and each ticket has a pre-printed serial-type number at the top which is also printed on the bottom. However the number at the top has been scrubbed out with a biro and replaced with a totally different number. The number at the bottom has not been scrubbed out and stayed the same. So, if I decided to pay by post then I would send the bottom part in with payment but it wouldn't match the top ticket number...?! Not sure if that makes sense!!

Please help! Not sure if I've included all relevant info, so happy to answer questions about it...

dancingsammyt

My main problem is that when I appeal the ticket, the fact that I can't provide a receipt or transaction on my card statement means I have no evidence of the fact we tried to be customers. That's why I'm thinking it's a scam.

martmonk

DO NOT MAKE CONTACT

DO - tell us which company issued the ticket.
DO - wait for notice to keeper
DO - tell all other drivers to do the same

Hovite_2

Certainly a new one on me !

Agree with martmonk - what parking company and wait for the NtK

peter_the_piper

+1
Forget CAB, they just say pay.
Council won't be interested directly but could come in handy to use to check for planning regs etc
Wait to see if company contact you assuming you have not yet given name and address.(don't it'll cost them to get from DVLA assuming they are entitled to of course.

dancingsammyt

It was norwich traffic control. I've asked around and apparently they are pretty brutal and will take people to court pretty much immediately.

I've also been told to get in contact with the local press but am not sure how advisable that is! When you say notice to keeper - we already have the ticket, do they then send something else as well?

dancingsammyt

CAb told me to make a token payment?! That sounds dodgy to me as I'd be accepting liability surely?

peter_the_piper

Yes to the NTK. Usual way is to do a soft appeal to get them to say no, it'll then cost them £27 to go to adjudication and it'll usually be an easy win on there.

peter_the_piper

dancingsammyt wrote: »

CAb told me to make a token payment?! That sounds dodgy to me as I'd be accepting liability surely?

Said they'd just say pay. Yes to the accepting liability bit.

dancingsammyt

Ok so when you say a soft appeal, what does that mean? Just going through the motions until I can then send a stronger letter to popla?

dancingsammyt

And what about the press?!