LOCAL resident, Hilary Gilmore, is warning drivers to be cautious when parking in the car park at the rear of Not Just Pets, in King Street.
Hilary says that signage for the car park is unclear, and could cause drivers to purchase a ticket from the neighbouring car park at M&S Simply Food, Kingsway, which is invalid and could result in a fine.
Hilary, who is a Fair Frome volunteer, is raising awareness after her own experience of using the car park, which is owned by local property developer Anthony Pang and managed by Civil Enforcement Ltd.
In July, she was surprised to receive a parking charge notice (PCN) after using the car park, despite purchasing what she thought was a valid ticket. However, Hilary later discovered that she had mistakenly bought a ticket for the neighbouring car park at M&S Simply Food.
“I have been penalised for parking, despite buying and displaying what I believed to be a valid parking ticket,” explained Hilary. “
“I parked in the area of the car park commonly called the ‘M&S car park’, that I now know to be called ‘Pang’s Courthouse’, located between the back of M&S in Kingsway Precinct and Iceland. My reason for using a car park in this area is that, as a Fair Frome volunteer, I collect donations for the food bank from two shops fortnightly, the goods can be heavy, so I try to park as near as possible.
“As usual, following the only sign indicating the direction of a ticket machine, I bought and displayed a parking ticket from the ‘M&S car park’, which is managed by Euro Car Parks. I was extremely surprised to receive a PCN dated 16th July. Luckily I had retained the parking ticket, which I sent to Civil Enforcement Ltd, appealing against the penalty, as I had paid and displayed what I believed to be a valid ticket.
“A letter dated 2nd August informed me that my appeal was ‘unsuccessful’, as the ticket I had bought was ‘not valid’ in the Courthouse car park. How was I or how is anyone else to know this? I have appealed against the decision on these grounds.
“Clearly there should be improved signage in this area of a larger car park and equally clearly this should be the responsibility of the owner, or the company administrating the business on the owner’s behalf. Meanwhile, innocent residents and visitors are being photographed by a remote camera high on a building nearby and penalised.
“I have returned to the area and can confirm that: residents’ parking signs and some white lines indicating parking spaces have been repainted; new striped posts have been installed plus additional small notices reminding drivers to pay ‘£1 per hour by phone or at machine’, nevertheless there is no new notice indicating the purpose of the posts or the direction of the machine.
“The original large Euro Car Parks sign indicating the direction of the familiar ‘M&S’ ticket machine, alongside the road bordering ‘Pangs Courthouse Car Park’, is still the only visible sign. There is nothing to indicate any area of parking is under different management. This is causing confusion for car park users.”
Attempts were made by Frome Times to contact Civil Enforcement Ltd and Anthony Pang for a comment.
