PCN from new "Patron Only" pub car park - regular patron with pub receipts

PP1984

Hi all
Hoping for some advice please.
I've been a regular at my local chain pub for years and in March they introduced new parking signage.  At the car park entrance you just see "PATRONS ONLY" in large text, but the smaller print says you need to give your reg to the bar.   

I also think that the walking route from my parking spot to the bar entrance didn't have any obvious signage, especially as a regular who isn't really looking for it, and kind of on autopilot as I've parked there probably a hundred times before.

Last week I received a Parking Charge Notice, from Britannia Parking.

I have an email receipt of a drinks order that I made via the pub's app on the day, plus a bank statement with the debit of the more substantial meal transaction, so can prove I was a patron.  However I didn't follow the instruction to register at the bar.

I've been to the manager of the pub, who knows me as a regular.  He says he will call Britannia to ask to cancel the fine.  He says he's had a lot of people with the same issue in the last couple of days and comments that he will ask for more obvious signage.   But for now he's making calls to the parking company trying to get 1 "get of jail free card" per customer, as it's a new parking policy.

I've just logged into the Britannia payment portal and it says it's still outstanding. 
It was only 3 days ago that the manager said he would try to cancel it, and it's a weekend, but the discounted period ends on Tuesday, so I'm wondering if I should submit an appeal on Britannia's website now with the drinks receipt, or will it somehow prevent the pub manager's request to cancel the fine? 
   
If I ask Britannia whether the manager has contacted them, am I somehow at a disadvantage by even getting in contact with them at all, at this stage?
And any other tips or advice?
Thanks

KeithP

Wait a few more days. Why would Britannia be rushing to cancel anything? There's no money in that. That cancellation will be done when they haven't any more moneymaking activities to do. 

Why are you concerned about the discounted rate when clearly you are not going to be paying anything?

PP1984

Because the manager was not 100% on whether his phone call would work, I think because he had already made so many of the same calls. 
"Fingers crossed" was the phrase he used, so wondering whether a belts and braces approach by appealing direct with the parking company, would do more harm that good.

patient_dream

"I've been to the manager of the pub, who knows me as a regular.  He says he will call Britannia to ask to cancel the fine.  He says he's had a lot of people with the same issue in the last couple of days and comments that he will ask for more obvious signage.   But for now he's making calls to the parking company trying to get 1 "get of jail free card" per customer, as it's a new parking policy."

As you are a regular, you may care to tell the manager that parking companies like Britannia will destroy his business, guess he has figured that one out.  The problem will not stop until he kicks them out

Show him this.   Whilst this is SMART parking, the scammers are all the same

Landlord's woe as car park fine scheme backlash nearly calls time on his pub
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/loggerheads-mold-car-park-fines-13774891

This is happening around the country.

He musr get rid of Britannia before he goes bust

fisherjim

It's not a fine, it's a speculative invoice!

Did the parking terms and conditions change just prior to this event, the BPA COP states:

19.10 Where there is a change in the terms and conditions that
materially affects the motorist then you must make these
terms and conditions clear on your signage. Where such
changes impose liability where none previously existed then
you must consider a transition to allow regular visitors to the
site to adjust and familiarise themselves with the changes.
Best practice would be the installation of additional/
temporary signage at the entrance and throughout the site
making it clear that new terms and conditions apply. This will
ensure such that regular visitors who may be familiar with
the previous terms become aware of the new ones.

PP1984

fisherjim said:

It's not a fine, it's a speculative invoice!

Did the parking terms and conditions change just prior to this event, the BPA COP states:

19.10 Where there is a change in the terms and conditions that
materially affects the motorist then you must make these
terms and conditions clear on your signage. Where such
changes impose liability where none previously existed then
you must consider a transition to allow regular visitors to the
site to adjust and familiarise themselves with the changes.
Best practice would be the installation of additional/
temporary signage at the entrance and throughout the site
making it clear that new terms and conditions apply. This will
ensure such that regular visitors who may be familiar with
the previous terms become aware of the new ones.

That's brilliant info, thanks.

Yes, it changed very recently.   I think I parked on the 2nd day of the change.
  
Having looked at a google streetview image from last year, the entrance signage was very similar to the new one, with the same heading of "PATRONS ONLY" so it would be easy to miss the change (Previously it was max stay 3 hours with patrols, now its ANPR with registering at the bar).

tacpot12

ANPR systems can be very unreliable. I'd recommend you find a way to prove the time you left the car park and use this religiously. A hardwired Dash Cam with a GPS module that ensures all recordings can only show the correct time would be one option.

Coupon-mad

tacpot12 said:

ANPR systems can be very unreliable. I'd recommend you find a way to prove the time you left the car park and use this religiously. A hardwired Dash Cam with a GPS module that ensures all recordings can only show the correct time would be one option.

The OP doesn't need to, not in this case because they didn't overstay. This one is about a hidden keypad new system catching out loads of patrons (as always).

Ludicrous that pubs, restaurants and gyms keep falling for this type of obvious 'scam' system and inflicting it on their customers (soon to be ex-customers). Pubs have gone out of business in cases we've seen, due to being stupid enough to accept this system.

The regulars should leave and tell the barman why they will boycott the place all Summer, until such time as Britannia are kicked out.

The rules changed without notice and the signs were inadequate and very similar to the old signs.  This will be dead easy to win at POPLA if the Barman fails to get these cancelled.

But after that, boycott the place and tell him why.