Max 3 Hour Stay, but using facilities?

87mc12

Hi all,

Got a parking fine through a month back. I parked in a private car park in Blackpool that was surrounded by a number of venues. My wife and I went for a meal there, then went to the Odeon to watch a film. In the end, we got a parking fine through the post saying that we'd been parked there for 3 Hours and 15 Minutes.

The entire time we were there, we were using the services that the car part was there for. I appealed, but it was rejected. Is there any point in going through POPLA?

They fell back on the age old 'there are 45,306 signs up warning you' which I didn't read because, hey, I'm not going anywhere else so why would I get fined? The restaurant and the Odeon are claiming to have nothing to do with it.

My real burning question is, how can the Odeon stand by and let this happen? The Avengers: Endgame has a runtime of 3 Hours and 5 Minutes. That means that every single person that goes to see that film and parks there is going to be fined £60 - £100 pounds. How can that be right?!?

Thanks in advance.

fisherjim

I assume this is Care Parking BPA member have you got a POPLA code from them?
Have you read the newbies thread?
You do not have a 'fine" it's an invoice.
You need to wise up to 21st century parking (scam) rules they are everywhere it's a multimillion pound greed ridden business.


Have you tried to complain to The Odeons manager Phil Towers as it would appear his staff have been negligent in informing you of their parking rules:


Please note that parking for longer than 3 hours will require you to enter your car registration number into the tablet next to the ticket check point. If your stay will take you over 5 hours, please speak to a Cinema Host at the time of your visit.


https://www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/blackpool/68/#

87mc12

Interesting info, I can't find that passage on the website myself, but I certainly believe you. I don't live in Blackpool as I was on holiday, so contacting the staff there is proving to be difficult. I can't even find a direct phone number. As we speak, I'm on hold on the live chat window of their website to speak to an adviser about my complaint.

What you say gives me hope at least.

87mc12

So an update, was on the live chat who said the car park was nothing to do with them. I was given the customer care number where I waited on hold for 20 minutes, only for the phone to just ring forever, never being picked up. I do feel like i'm on my own here.

I checked around and Odeon Blackpool is BOMBING on trip advisor because of this.

tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186332-d10532377-Reviews-or10-Odeon_Blackpool-Blackpool_Lancashire_England.htm[/url]

Apparently there is a sign up saying you need to put your car reg into a computer to get an extra 2 hours, but I must have missed that. I'm pretty sure if I saw a sign saying "DO THIS OR £100 FINE", I would have complied.

Regardless, if I can prove that I was there at the cinema, why should it matter if I gave them my car reg before or after the film?

fisherjim

87mc12 wrote: »

Interesting info, I can't find that passage on the website myself, but I certainly believe you. I don't live in Blackpool as I was on holiday, so contacting the staff there is proving to be difficult. I can't even find a direct phone number. As we speak, I'm on hold on the live chat window of their website to speak to an adviser about my complaint.

What you say gives me hope at least.

Really it's just under the £5 tickets all day every day

It says "a message from Blackpool manager Phil Towers".


Apparently there was a lot of controversy when this system was introduced last year including a councillor objecting to the anpr cameras not having planning permission, but that got nowhere.


https://theworldnews.net/gb-news/parking-cameras-fining-blackpool-customers-ps100-but-are-they-legal


https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/people/council-backtracks-and-now-says-permission-was-not-needed-for-parking-cameras-outside-the-odeon-in-blackpool-1-9537723

87mc12 wrote: »

Regardless, if I can prove that I was there at the cinema, why should it matter if I gave them my car reg before or after the film?

Welcome to the world of unregulated car management scams!


The government are on the face of it now on your side and a bill is going through parliament to try to regulate these Muppets, but it's a way to go, probably won't be what we want, and definitely won't help you.


I hope you wasn't phoning the PPC it won't work and you will make it worse for yourself, they only want cash they have no customer care people only greedy people working for them please please see this for what it is a dirty scam.



Read the newbies thread, complain to the land owner too, and prepare your POPLA appeal but not on circumstance or mitigation which won't work.

The_Deep

Write bad stuff on all the venues on Trip Advisor, Facebook, and their websites, complain to the local papers, radio station, and Tourist Board, Complain to your MP.

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, an independent appeals service will be set up, and access to the DVLA's date base more rigorously policed, and persistent offenders denied access. Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers.

Until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies.

MSUser

Have you had any success with the appeal or getting this notice cancelled?

Coupon-mad

He/she is now at POPLA stage and we usually win.

I appealed, but it was rejected. Is there any point in going through POPLA?

We are waiting to see their POPLA appeal, like in all other threads.

Please read NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST thread, for appeal templates.