Possible Aldi/Parking eye project....

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

Comments please, dont mind how negative they are.

I will have the use of the someone :eek: in the coming weeks at no real cost to me for approx 3 weeks and then possible next year to

Ive had an idea floating about in my head and wondering if its worth giving it a go:

1.Getting a location of ALL Aldi stores in the UK.
2.Contacting each relevent store to see if Parking eye are on site (or google street view etc) and if its a free/pay car park
3.Contacting each relevent council/Valuation agency to advise if correct rates are being reported.
4. If time allows check planning rules etc for car park.

Now this is quite a lengthy project and the would be minimal costs. I have an office at home and calls etc are included in rental. I realise this has been done at one or two stores...

Is this something worth pursuing or is just a waste of time?

Like i say i dont mind what people think, !

The_Slithy_Tove

Good idea in principle, for someone with lots of time on their hands!

A couple comments:
* GSV is not necessarily up to date enough in all cases to know if PE are infesting a particular car park
* Checking on business rates can pretty much all be done online at the VOA site. Car parks that charge are listed. If no listing for the postcode (i.e. it only mentions shops/warehouse/etc as the classification for business rates, then it means they are not collecting business rates on the car park. (Just find a private car park that charges - not a station, though - and check it out to find the magic code for Car Park.)
* Planning is much harder. I have been trying for my local Lidl. For any store that was built more than, say, 10 years ago, the whole concept of limits and restrictions on parking were not an issue, so are not even mentioned in the planning consent, it merely says "and adjoining car park for N cars". Also old applications are not available on line, so it requires a visit to the local planning office to dig out - very time consuming.

Then, what do you do, armed with the information? I assume you contact each local authority and question why a money making business is running on a nil-rated land, and pursue them when they attempt to fob you off.

Must to this for Lidl, where there big banners say "charges apply". Oh, and also G24 signs say the same at a local retail store. Must ask the council about that one, too.

On Pepipoo, the user Lynnzer was pursuing some cases of no business rates being paid. All went quiet though. I wonder how he got on.

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

Yes it would require a lot of time. The outcome would have to be worth it

Stroma

The problem is the contact at each store, they don't release their phone numbers, so don't know how it can be done .

Thought I have some answers for you on my travels

Swansea - Carmarthen Rd - no parking eye
Swansea - Gorseinon - no parking eye
Llanelli - Swanfield Place - has parking eye
Llanelli - Cross Hands - no parking eye

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

Really stroma? I've just did saynoto0870 and a few came up.

But if what you say is true then its a non starter

Stroma

You could try that, but from what I've seen on the net they give the same number for all of then. But there are a lot of users on here who can confirm the car parks, I travel a lot around Wales and up to Birmingham at times, and over to Swindon and down to Taunton , so I will check out when I'm on the road for you

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

Google street view would also do I think..

My intention was to get my helping hand to start by compiling a list of all aldi stores

Half_way

I was in the Ashby de la zouch area, in north west Leicestershire the other day - brand new Aldi complete with parking eye..