Euro Car Parks at Sainsburys Leicester.

Vintagelady_2

Hi all, Firstly many apologises to tagging on to an old thread(2014), like I said, I'm pretty new to all this forum stuff.
Anyway, I said I'd let you know how I got on with Sainsburys with the Euro Car Park 'fine'.

I went armed with all my receipts and a letter to the store manager, just in case, went to customer services, who I showed the 'fine' letter to and were very helpful and called the manager straight away.
Whilst waiting for the manager, the fella at customer services asked me if, I was one of the customers who rang earlier. Which lead me to ask how many were there? 'Oh loads' he replied, 'we get at least 10 a day', including himself' I suggested, the ANPR clearly wasn't working and he said it wasn't Sainsburys problem. I said it was, as Sainsburys employ Euro Car Parks.

The manager arrived and basically said the same to her and she said the same, not Sainburys problem, so I told her it was, etc. She seemed a bit hacked off, I suppose with 10 a day, she was getting chuffed off cancelling them all. Still, she checked the receipts and said she'd get it cancelled immediately for me.:):)

I asked why the reader didn't clock us coming back to the store and she said it works fine normally, yeah right, that's not the the fella on customer services said before her arrival.
On leaving, I took some photos and whilst doing so, someone shouted, 'has it nobbled you too?' That says it all really.

I shall send the pictures to HO with my letter and suggest another method of car park policing, such as pay on entry and get re-embursted the cost when you pay for your shopping. I doubt they'll take any notice but it's worth a try.

So, many thanks to Umkomass and beamerguy and all for the advice.
Love Vintagelady. xxx

Umkomaas

Well done on getting it cancelled and glad advice helped. Thank you very much for coming back to report outcome - you wouldn't believe how many can't be bothered to, often despite pages and pages of advice.

If you're going to put any further effort in, I wouldn't bother with Sainsburys HO; you've had what you set out to achieve from the local manager. Instead why not raise this as a concern with your local newspaper - especially the 10 a day bit; I'm sure they will certainly be interested in that.

If it's published, Sainsbury HO will know soon enough, and its impact is likely to have much more effect than any letter you might send them.

beamerguy

Well done, do make certain you have it in writing / email

Interesting to see that the manager said it was nothing to do with Sainsbury's and then says she will cancel it ?

10 a day, that's a lot of complaints and a lot of lost customers for Sainsbury's.

Let's hope they kick out Euro and stay away from the scamming parking industry by installing barriers, they do it already in other stores

trisontana

I wonder if this is a shared site, as Sainsbury's usually use Horizon as their preferred PPC. So perhaps this land might be owned by a third party who have employed Euro.

Vintagelady_2

Hi Umkomaas, yes writing to my local newspaper is a really good idea and my friends wife just happens to work there, so that will help. I'll let you know how I get on. xx


Hi beamerguy, the mananger said she'd send me an email, as yet I've not received it. I've given her bank holiday grace, so now I'll be taking another trip to Sainburys to see what's happened to it, I'll keep you posted on that too. xx


Hi tristonana, when I received the parking charge notice, I did a bit of googling and the ANPR device is provided by the company Horizon but it's Euro Car Parks who police the car park, the letter had the Euro Car Parks logo on it. xx

The whole thing has made me paranoid, I had to make two trips to Beaumont Leys shopping centre today, the first trip I parked in Tescos car park(parking eye) for 1 1/2 hours, you're allowed 4 hours and the 2nd, due to my paranoia, I parked in Matalans car park(smart parking) for 1 hour, you're allowed 2 hours. On both occasions I was checking my watch every 20 mins.:o

One thing I thought was odd in Matalans car park the sign said, 2 hours parking, no return 4 hours. I quite didn't understand that, or is me having a Doh, moment.:huh:

Once agin, thank you all for your invaluable advice, you are stars.
With love, Vintagelady. xxx

Umkomaas

Hi Umkomaas, yes writing to my local newspaper is a really good idea and my friends wife just happens to work there, so that will help. I'll let you know how I get on. xx

Wow, what a gift-horse opportunity! Do please let us know what happens.

Hi beamerguy, the mananger said she'd send me an email, as yet I've not received it. I've given her bank holiday grace, so now I'll be taking another trip to Sainburys to see what's happened to it, I'll keep you posted on that too. xx

You could email the manager, thank her for intervening, understand how busy she is, but to save her having to write anything out, could she just confirm by reply that this is what she agreed with you. Then put in a short paragraph confirming the conversation you had with her.

It will be easier for her to say, 'Yes, that's exactly what I agreed - charge cancelled' than to fish around for your email address and then compose her version. It will also save you a trip in to try to see her again.

The whole thing has made me paranoid, I had to make two trips to Beaumont Leys shopping centre today, the first trip I parked in Tescos car park(parking eye) for 1 1/2 hours, you're allowed 4 hours and the 2nd, due to my paranoia, I parked in Matalans car park(smart parking) for 1 hour, you're allowed 2 hours. On both occasions I was checking my watch every 20 mins.

Just be careful with some of these if you're not actually using the store. A number now are requiring you to enter your car registration number on a keypad within the store. Lidl is one to watch out for, I also think that a few Matalan stores have gone that way.

Often the PPC signs in the car park don't tell you this (wonder why!).

Tesco hasn't adopted the keypad requirement, but I'm surprised you say ParkingEye is there - Tesco is the almost exclusive domain of Highview Parking. Is this site a multiple retailer one? I'd be very, very wary if there are PE signs, they mercilessly sue people. Wherever possible give any site that employs PE a wide berth - then write to the retailer to tell them why you are refusing to shop there.

beamerguy

Vintagelady wrote: »

One thing I thought was odd in Matalans car park the sign said, 2 hours parking, no return 4 hours. I quite didn't understand that, or is me having a Doh, moment.:huh:

They copy the councils where that is seen where road parking is allowed, that we can understand
But for a retailer or retail park to say that where spaces are not at a premium because of the vermin who inherit the car park, what it means is this ....

"WE REALLY DON'T WANT YOUR BUSINESS SO GO AND SPEND YOUR ONEY ELSEWHERE"

Then these retailers moan that profits are down ???