Fined £400 after they took too long to eat

[Jazzy]

Family fined £400 after taking too long to eat lunch

Tina Hoskins and 23 of her family members went to a Brewer’s Fayre near their home in Patchway Bristol.

They pre-ordered their food at the Concorde pub in Filton, Bristol, but she says it was still delayed by nearly an hour.

By the time they finished their food an paid up, however, they had been in the pub’s car park for longer than the permitted three hours.

Seven of the family drove but only four of them were fined £100 each – £60 if paid within 14 days.

Despite a sign in the car park saying people staying longer than three should register their details, Ms Hoskins believes Brewer’s Fayre is in the wrong for not telling them when they went into the pub.

The Sign

Spoiler

She said: ‘I was livid when the [parking] bill came through. I am outraged that they can charge you to park, especially considering the amount the party spent.

The pub operates a system where drivers using the car park must enter their registration number on a device at the bar, but Ms Hoskins claimed nobody in the party was made aware of this.

‘Since I was driving and looking after my boys I did not go to the bar and at no point was this pointed out to any member of the group by the waiting staff,’ she said.

Tina rang the pub after the fines came through but says the staff claimed they could do nothing to change the charges.

‘If the food had been on time, none of us would have exceeded the three-hour time limit.’

Brewer’s Fayre has been approached for comment.

In your opinion, who is right Tina Hoskins or Brewer’s Fayre and why?

 

[seasidemike]

I think a bunch of things are wrong, when there is a signpost about parking it is the responsibility of the driver to read the sign, not the staff to tell everyone.
Secondly the parking I enforcement is probably contracted out to a private company so there is probably little the restaurant can do.
The best that they can hope for is to maybe make a claim against the restaurant if they can prove that the fine is as a result of poor service.

However, you either you or I parked on a street and put money in a metre, and was delayed somehow getting back to out own cars, it would still be our fine to pay, no matter why we were delayed.
If
The signed was there and clearly displayed, they should have read it.

 

[DrLeftover]

Bottom line:

Cook your own dinner at home and don't worry about the parking fine at the pub.

 

[Nebulous]

‘If the food had been on time, none of us would have exceeded the three-hour time limit.’

Good logic. The pub should pay the fine.

 

[Dee]

It sounds like it's the pubs word/existence of the sign against the party's word.  It's very possible the waiter could've told them about the sign and the fine that goes along with parking there, but the customer just wasn't listening/was upset the food took longer to cook.  It's also possible they weren't told as a ploy to make money off fines.  

In any case, it seems as though the sign is posted there to save the pub's ass from issues like this.  As long as it's posted in an area that's easily seen, then it's the responsibility of the person parking there to pay attention to their surroundings.  That's like driving into a city and parking on the street and then not bothering to read that it costs money to park there.  There has to be some sort of accountability on the driver's part for using the property of a business.  

 

[+paradox]

who wants to punish their customers?

that's not good for business...

 

[seasidemike]

who wants to punish their customers?

that's not good for business...

That's very true, but there must be more to it than what we are being told. I am sure that if the restaurant could reverse the charge that they would, but it is most likely out if their control.

It is unfortunate, but parking fines are the reponaibilty of the driver.

I was in a shopping centre on Sunday that provides free parking for the first hour, it was busy and my time went over the hour and I has to pay for my parking, is that the shopping centre's fault for being busy?

 

[Nebulous]

who wants to punish their customers?

that's not good for business...

That's very true, but there must be more to it than what we are being told.  I am sure that if the restaurant could reverse the charge that they would, but it is most likely out if their control.

They could pay it, gain good publicity and get more business?

 

[Jazzy]

~Update~

A spokesperson for Brewer’s Fayre said: ‘We were sorry to hear about the car parking fines faced by Ms Hoskins and her party while visiting the Bristol Concord Brewers Fayre in early December.

‘Whilst there is signage in the shared car park – which is managed by a third party – as well as our restaurant, which clearly states the maximum length of stay and also highlights the option to sign-up for a further two hours of free parking for our guests, we appreciate this is a substantial fine that has marred an otherwise enjoyable dining experience.

‘With this in mind, in this particular instance we would like to cover the cost of the fines as a gesture of goodwill to the party and look forward to welcoming them back to the restaurant in 2015.’

Good on them!

 

[seasidemike]

~Update~

Good on them!
[/quote]

good move on the part of management

 

[Ellie1142545]

Well, the sign was there, and the dinner party should have read it....Also, I think that Brewers Fayre should also have a sign posted, as the customers walk into the establishment.....Still though, even though the meal was served late, I'm thinking that the customers should have been fully aware of the sign.....

It was nice of Brewers Fayre to pick up the tab, where the fines were concerned....

 

[Nebulous]

~Update~

A spokesperson for Brewer’s Fayre said: ‘We were sorry to hear about the car parking fines faced by Ms Hoskins and her party while visiting the Bristol Concord Brewers Fayre in early December.

‘Whilst there is signage in the shared car park – which is managed by a third party – as well as our restaurant, which clearly states the maximum length of stay and also highlights the option to sign-up for a further two hours of free parking for our guests, we appreciate this is a substantial fine that has marred an otherwise enjoyable dining experience.

‘With this in mind, in this particular instance we would like to cover the cost of the fines as a gesture of goodwill to the party and look forward to welcoming them back to the restaurant in 2015.’

Good on them!

I'll bet the ONLY reason they paid it is because of the negative publicity. Too little, too late.