Britannia PCN at West Quay Retail Park

gazhants · 14 March 2019 at 5:01PM

The Diary of a PCN offender, aged 50 something and a quarter

day 0
visit Southampton West Quay Retail Park to look at a sofa bed in Furniture Village.
Check meter to see that 8 to 18 is same as before, with 1/2 hour free allowed. park at 17.30 so just need the free ticket.
Ticket placed in windscreen in full view & hurry into store before closing.
After trying the furniture, head onto Ikea. Meatballs beckon.
It's hungry work furniture shopping.
Depart store, after falling for the Ikea scam (buying lots of things that one doesn't need at very low prices) and cough up the colossal total amount at the till.
Return to car after 18.00 to find PCN courtesy of Britannia Parking.

day `1
Check WQRP website to see what's going on.
Discover the parking terms have changed.
It's now 8 to 20 parking charge period with 1/2 hour free before 18 and a whole hour between 18 to 20
Berate oneself and mentally prepare to be relieved of £50.
How kind of Britannia to offer early payment discount.

day 2
Something stirs. You did check the meter? Have the marbles been well and truly lost?
Return to the scene of the crime.
Discover that the meter signage is in essence unchanged from years ago.
All they have done is added a few new lines below to update the 1 hour free in the period 18 to 20.
Scour the car park for evidence.
Find enough to be convinced there are healthy grounds for appeal.
On the way home Frank Sinatra's 'Let's face the music and dance' comes on the radio.
Yes, there may be troubles ahead....!

day 3
Keyboard warrior prepares for battle. There must be others in similar positions?
Find this site.
Furiously read similar posts.
So what did I learn? Firstly, read the sticky thread for newbies.
Secondly, fools are not taken gladly.
Oh, and Coupon Mad is definitely female.

day 4
Let the game commence!
Letter to MP. Sod's Law, my New Forest East MP is one who doesn't accept email.
Luddite!
Email both the Southampton MP's. One's Labour, one's Tory.
Let's not make this party political.
It's the day of an important Brexit vote. They won't be happy at a trifling parking issue clogging up their inboxes.

day 5
Find the name of the Furniture Village Store Manager & email contact.
Send mail with proof of contradictory signage and ask as a prospective customer for it to be cancelled.
That California Flip top table with 4 leather chairs (faux mind you) is looking but a distant dream in light of the extra £85 I now have to find.

day 6
Email from said manager cancelling the charge with confirmation from Britannia attached.
The California dream suite is back on!

So the long and the short is follow the advice in the Newbie thread, Your victory might come sooner or later, but it will come. To be honest, I never considered contacting the retailer, but it is probably your strongest bet especially one with high goods values such as furniture stores.
Thanks to all on this forum, the research has been both interesting and informative.