Mecca bingo & minster baywatch fine

T8m0

Received a letter from minster baywatch for a £100 fine (£60 if paid early). I’m definitely in the wrong (in their eyes) in this situation so I’d just like some advice if this is worth appealing or trying to overturn (have previously successfully appealed a private charge many moons ago against a different company).

basically I use their carpark sometimes instead of a toy store (smyths) across the road as that is normally jam packed and Mecca bingo is usually empty. Have done this at least half a dozen times over the last couple years. So I’m not sure if I’ve been lucky or they’ve literally only just installed the cameras, as they have photo & timestamps of me entering and leaving.

I called the manager today of the bingo hall to try and get this cancelled - I lied and said I popped in to Mecca to enquire about membership before asking if it was ok for me to pop into the toy shop whilst parked in Mecca and pretended the worker said it would be fine. Maybe naive of me to try this but he said he’ll check their cameras and call me back (no call back yet).

apparently the rules are 15 mins stay or any longer then you have to register your reg inside (not sure if you need to be a member or not). My stay was 40 mins whilst I just went in the toy store before I left.

i really don’t want to have to pay up, but if I have no legs to stand on… do I just reluctantly pay the £60 😣 

TIA

Car1980

Your use of the word "apparently" would suggest the signage isn't great?

You may feel you broke the rules, but was there a valid contract in place for you to agree to?

James_Poisson

If they have made a "Material Change" to the parking terms and conditions their ATA states in their joint COP that additional signage must be in place for four months during which time motorists that know that site should basically let off on appeal PCN.

T8m0

Second photo is entrance to the car park, left sign says customer parking only. Right sign says something along the lines “notice of change” new terms and conditions apply in this car park. Right Sign is slightly obstructed by the tree. Also wouldn’t be the first thing to concentrate on when turning into a car park. Then the space I parked in I wouldn’t have seen this sign when walking to/from the toy store. Also because I never entered the bingo hall where they may have been additional signs.

Other sign is dotted a few points around the car park. I took these photos when I returned to see what signage was in place.

I couldn’t tell you how long any of these signs have been in place before they started using the camera or when the camera was installed/commissioned to use. 

I only knew of this ‘15 mins use’ before having to go inside to enter reg/membership details after speaking to the bingo hall manager yesterday.

T8m0

Any help will be much appreciated- unsure what to do in this situation 🫣 

Car1980

An essay high up on a pole then.

What's the actual breach they are accusing you of? Not being a customer / unauthorised parking / not registering the numberplate?

T8m0

All of the above, not being a customer so I wasn’t authorised to park there and also with being over the 15mins I didn’t register my number plate 

Coupon-mad

Just ignore it or try the appeal in the NEWBIES thread, then POPLA if you want.

Personally I'd suggest you just ignore it. Read the fourth post of the NEWBIES thread.