Private parking forces cafe at inland marina out of buisness

Half_way

https://www.nottinghampost.com/whats-on/whats-on-news/cafe-closure-blamed-parking-enforcement-3536442

A cafe at a picturesque marina is closing its doors from today (November 14) blaming a drop-off in trade after customers were stung with £60 parking fines.
The owners said it was "with a heavy heart" but they have been struggling for months since the new parking enforcement system was introduced at Sawley Marina near Long Eaton - the UK's biggest inland marina.
The Marina Cafe provided a welcome break for walkers, cyclists and families as well as boating people, serving hearty breakfasts, burgers, fish and chips and pizzas.
British Waterways Marinas Limited, which has its head office at the Sawley site, introduced a new system in April, with three hours free parking. Visitors, who failed to see signs and stayed for longer without paying in the office, were fined.

A BWML spokesman said: "We are extremely saddened by the loss of The Marina Caf! which was very much enjoyed in the Sawley Marina community.
"Unfortunately, for a long time Sawley Marina has suffered with illegal parking on the site that has impacted both the residents of the marina as well as its visitors

Full article:
https://www.nottinghampost.com/whats-on/whats-on-news/cafe-closure-blamed-parking-enforcement-3536442

Snakes_Belly

What a shame to see an excellent eating place closing down. You can't blame the customers for not going back though. The landowner could surely have found a way of dealing with the illegal parking without damaging the existing businesses. They use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Johno100

Got to say I had a look on Google Maps and apart from a Wacky Warehouse across the road that seems to have its own car park I can't see what attracts all the supposed illegal parkers to this particular car park.

waamo

The "errant" parkers are probably the staff.

Umkomaas

I don't see anything 'illegal' going on parking-wise in a private car park. Can anyone else?

Coupon-mad

So sad, but typical. I believe PPCs kill off far more shops and outlets like this that anyone realises.

"In April 2019, our landlord BWML installed a Parking Enforcement System. Since this was introduced we have seen a massive downturn in trade, so much so that it is no longer viable to stay open."

One of the comments is also really depressing:

I'm not surprised this is happening people all around the country have boycotted shopping areas because of unjust fines.

The company running the control of the Marina car park is the same company that controls The Fantasy Island car park at Ingoldmells and I had issues with them. I purchased a ticket there and inputted my registration in the machine as required and it was about 3 weeks later I received a penalty notice for apparently not paying, luckily I still had my ticket but instead of printing my reg number there was just a large 'I' on it.

Anyway, I wrote to the company to explain that I had paid and the machine hadn't printed my reg number, they said I should have phoned them up to say there might be a problem with the machine, but they said I could go to appeal. I went to appeal but they rejected my explanation and I was told to pay the fine....I guess I knew that would be the outcome as the Appeals panel is partly funded by the parking companies ...very strange that.

I decided not to pay on principle, and about a year later I got a solicitor's letter to pay or get taken to court by this time the amount wanted was £160, begrudgingly I paid up. They're parasites.

NeilCr

Johno100 wrote: »

Got to say I had a look on Google Maps and apart from a Wacky Warehouse across the road that seems to have its own car park I can't see what attracts all the supposed illegal parkers to this particular car park.

If it's anything like down here there will be canal walks, open spaces, boats and locks to look at, riverside restaurants and pubs to find. People probably use the marina parking as a base for these activities

There is this walk which takes in Sawley Marina, for example

http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksWalks/trent-lock-walking-route

The RSPB have attended open days at the Marina so, likely. twitchers, too. There aren't going to be enough staff to cause this sort of issue and I suspect they would have been told where to park (and not park). Moorers have complained about "illegal" parking - although they are grumbling about the restrictions, too. Looks like there is a list held at the Marina office of VRNs

As Snakes Belly says shame to see an eating place close down like this. Their TA reviews are good - although a few recent 1/5s (including one that is because of the parking). Another case of selfish, inconsiderate parkers creating a problem which could, perhaps, have been handled differently. I rather suspect that, as the Marina will get the vast amount of it's income from the moorers, they will be far more interested in appeasing them than visitors to the area

Does seem shortsighted, though, to lose a cafe like that

beamerguy

Makes one wonder how many supermarkets lose customers they can ill afford to lose ?

The scammers who sold them the pup that they would stop abuse probably get rid of more customers than abusers

roddydogs

You get 3hrs free, and that still aint long enough? You gotta be joking.

Umkomaas

roddydogs wrote: »

You get 3hrs free, and that still aint long enough? You gotta be joking.

Regardless of whether 3 hours is enough or not, the very presence of a PPC is increasingly becoming a risk to motorists and to businesses, as this cafe has found to its cost.

Half_way

With it being a marina/ british waterways, would it be covered by by-laws?