A single mum has been left ‘fearful sick’ after being ordered to pay a £170 parking high quality.
Catherine Bowden, 40, had visited a McDonald’s in Walsgrave, Coventry along with her two kids in November.
They tucked into some meals and her two-year-old Zayn had a blast within the smooth play space.
It had been a big day out for the household, following the all-clear after catching Covid.
However Catherine had by chance overstayed within the McDonald’s automobile park by a mere 14 minutes after she says she missed indicators detailing the precise closing dates.
The 40-year-old, who works as a kitchen assistant in a care residence, tried to hunt solutions over the high quality.
However, as she tried in useless to achieve McDonald’s, the parking high quality value rose from £50 cost to £170.
The only mum is now terrified at how she is going to afford paying it.
Catherine advised Metro.co.uk: ‘I’m fearful sick, I’ve by no means been in debt in my life and don’t know what to do. I’m attempting to contact McDonald’s for assist.
‘I’m upset to be fined once I was a paying buyer and utilizing the McDonald’s amenities.
‘I’ve by no means been chased for debt earlier than and all the time pay my payments, it feels unfair.’
Catherine had overstayed within the carpark on November 2.
She added: ‘Had I recognized there have been cameras or a restrict of 90 minutes I wouldn’t have gone to McDonald’s.
‘I’m a single mother or father who doesn’t have some huge cash to be trustworthy, so I’d handled my youngsters to McDonald’s as I knew that they had a play space.’
A McDonald’s spokesperson harassed ‘ample’ indicators had been in place on the restaurant.
It comes after strategies a ‘grace interval’ might be applied on the automobile park for purchasers who overstay for a brief period of time and will have been delayed leaving resulting from younger kids.
A spokesperson advised Metro.co.uk: ‘Now we have parking restrictions in place at quite a lot of our eating places, with a time restrict to make sure there’s sufficient parking for all of our prospects.
‘Ample signage relating to these restrictions is clearly displayed each as you drive into the automobile park, on numerous lampposts inside it and within the restaurant. We work with industry-approved contractors to make sure prospects don’t exceed the 90 minute restrict.’
UK Parking Management was contacted for remark.
A scenario much like Catherine’s had befallen 35-year-old Marcus Ward on the similar carpark.
The 35-year-old and his spouse had taken their two younger kids for lunch and a day on the McDonald’s smooth play.
Just a few days later, a parking high quality appeared by means of their entrance door.
Marcus stated the cost, additionally from UK Parking Management, acknowledged that his spouse and youngsters had exceeded the restrict 90-minute restrict for the client automobile park by round 10 minutes.
The livid dad advised CoventryLive: ‘You’ve got a smooth play at that
McDonald’s so you’re going to be there for lots longer than a traditional McDonald’s.
‘For those who break down how lengthy it takes a mother or father to get youngsters out of the automobile, change them, feed them, and smooth play, it’s positively over an hour and a half.
‘Every little thing is nearly arrange so that you can fail and be caught by this lure. It’s unbelievable.’
Marcus has been preventing the parking high quality since August final yr.
Like Catherine, he has now been knowledgeable he must combat the parking cost in courtroom with the high quality having reached £170.
Are you able to assist Catherine or Marcus, or have you ever been in an analogous scenario? Electronic mail kirsten.robertson@metro.co.uk
Get in contact with our information workforce by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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