How to stop non-customers parking

Sandtree

Before Covid was even a thing a friend signed a lease on a cafe, getting possession was delayed due to squatters and he finally got the keys a few weeks ago.

The cafe is at the entrance to a small industrial park, as you turn in there is a small retail park of DIY type shops with a reasonable sized carpark, further down the way there is a courier company with a customer collection point with its own car park and various commercial/industrial units each with their own parking. Having been there several times with him all the car parks are always 75% empty but despite that the 3 spaces on his land always has cars parked on it.

With the prior squatter problem he’s improved security and put CCTV around the property which has also enabled us to view the coming and goings of the cars... almost all the time its someone pulling in for 30 minutes or so and coming back with bags from the retail park or people carrying a parcel (so assume collecting from the depot). Despite there being parking closer to their destination and never a problem parking there people seem to prefer to park up at the first place they find.

Right now its obviously not an issue because cafe is closed, needs refitting etc however clearly wants their parking for their customers. Not looking to generate another revenue stream and they arent a fan of the idea of just handing things over to UKPC who do the parking controls for the estate itself (which technically the cafe isnt on) and the retail park car park.

Now, I appreciate most people here are more experts at trying to get out of parking fines etc but I am sure in the collective knowledge there are possibly some ideas on a fair way to try and keep the three spaces for their customers and not the customers of the surrounding businesses.

twhitehousescat

ring one of the many parking cos up , they will fit cameras and like you see people coming and going , but who are customers ? ahh the old ipad to enter reg no in when your in cafe ,,,,,,,,,,,,, the one that dont work , the one where you are on phone getting tickets revoked , unhappy customers!!

and remember if someone dumps there car in the morning . parking co can issue a ticket BUT THE CAR WILL STILL BE THERE 

get some chain or posts , use brain power not use temper 

twhitehousescat

just handing things over to UKPC who do the parking controls for the estate itself (which technically the cafe isnt on) and the retail park car park.

ukpc , dont do FINES they send tickets , the car is still there , ukpc do NOT do parking CONTROL , they issue a ticket to owners house within 14 days 

Sandtree

Hence asking for suggestions and not just calling UKPC

Almost all those parking are cars, the army of white vans that come and go all use the proper car park for the retail park so wonder how many are going to be repeat offenders who may be put off by the tickets... so far in the 14 days his camera has been there no repeats have happened.

Were_Doomed

Erect a clear sign next to the spaces saying CAFE PARKING ONLY. That's about the best they can reasonably do.

twhitehousescat

steal borrow some ukpc signs ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Coupon-mad

Were_Doomed said:

Erect a clear sign next to the spaces saying CAFE PARKING ONLY. That's about the best they can reasonably do.

This.  It will work. All he needs is some cheap signs and if he feels he needs more than signs, some cheap collapsible bollards or a chain to make his bays look less inviting and more 'barriered' than the next.

Sandtree

There is already a Customer Only Parking sign up; could certainly be bigger and clearer though.

Had also considered putting up an arrow sign pointing to the parking for the retail park (not that it isnt already bleeding obvious)... the confusion really is why are people parking further away when there is ample free and more convenient parking nearer their destinations.

May try blocking off the parking for now but similar to using actual UKPC or similar the offenders seem to be mainly one off visitors rather than regulars 

Redx

Plus if they are barriered asap and remain like that whenever the cafe is closed , they will break the habits of the drivers parking there, keep up the collapsible post idea even after the business opens , dropping them as the open sign switches on and erecting the posts when the closed sign is on , to stop all parking when closed

Clear signs are paramount , which should also mention authorising any stay inside the cafe , even if it's not required 😜😜😜

Le_Kirk

Are you sure that the parking area actually belongs to the café and that the leaseholder has the right to put up chains/bollards?

Sandtree

Le_Kirk said:

Are you sure that the parking area actually belongs to the café and that the leaseholder has the right to put up chains/bollards?

Other than the courier depot I understand the freeholder is the same for the whole estate, retail park and the cafe. Their lease states its for the cafe, the surrounding land and outbuilding with the shaded plan includes the three parking spaces in the surrounding land. There is a small amount of pavement/dropped kerb area in front of the spaces which are not shaded but that appears to be demarked by the tarmac of the flagstones of the pavement changing to the tarmac of the parking spaces