Letters from customers appealing against unfair parking fines
We get lots of encouraging comments about our shop and the friendly, expert staff and service. We welcome feedback both positive and negative (provided it's constructive!).
Lately, the feedback seems to revolve around the parking issues and customers returning a couple of minutes late back to their cars only to find a £60 (but £30 if paid promptly!) parking ticket on their windscreen. These are good folk who have made the gesture and paid for the parking time they thought they'd need. They'd be quite happy to pay for the extra parking time period which would be fair but instead get a large fine and go away with a VERY negative impression of Oldham. We'd like to see some kind of parking validation scheme in operation, where genuine shoppers redeem their parking fee when making a purchase from a local shop. After all, an influx of extra business and vitality to the area has got to be good news for all, hasn't it?
Please sign our petition and help your friendly local shops get sensible parking facilities:
www.gopetition.com/online/10058.html
Time and time again we get comments from people resident in the Borough such as;
"I'll never shop in Oldham Town Centre again..."
This is a terrible blow to those long established and hard working retailers who depend on a steady footfall of loyal customers. This footfall is steadily diminishing and is a sad state of affairs. The council should be making it an attractive proposition to visit the town but this is far from the case. For a typical case in point, please read the letter below from one of our customers, who for privacy purposes shall remain anonymous:
Parking Administration
PO Box 499
Oldham
OL1 9AA
Dear Sir,
I purchased a pay and display ticket (copy enclosed) in order to allow me to collect footwear from Mountainfeet's shop (copy receipt enclosed). However, I was delayed in the shop and returned to my car five minutes later than my ticket allowed to find your officer actually issuing the penalty.
I explained to your officer who said she would note my comments and time of return when her report was submitted.
As I have said, I purchased the pay and display ticket in good faith and should easily have made the return within the time allocated. (We delayed the customer in the shop checking his boots were correctly fitted and offered to pay half his fine - Simon Taylor, Mountainfeet) I would ask that you consider waiving this charge.
Yours faithfully,
(Name withheld for privacy purposes) |
After receiving a standard letter advising the customer that no grounds existed for the cancellation of the fine, he wrote the following reply:
Parking Administration
PO Box 499
Oldham
OL1 9AA
Dear Sir,
I refer to your letter of the 13th September 2006. Thank you for taking the time to consider my appeal and also for your valuable advice (advising paying for enough parking to allow for delays!).
I still feel that this is unduly harsh on both me and local businesses. The cost of my purchase is now made expensive and as a result I will park in Spindles and not venture down to Mountainfeet again.
I enclose a cheque for the fine.
Yours faithfully,
(Name withheld for privacy purposes) |
We offered to pay half the customer's fine but we understand his refusal to accept our help.
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