Worksop: Priory appeal to shoppers to keep visiting town despite parking debacle

In the last few weeks, the Guardian has been inundated with emails, letters and phone calls from disappointed and frustrated readers who have received charges from ParkingEye totalling as much as £100 - even though they paid for a ticket.

Some have also been charged for either entering an incorrect registration number or if for using the car park as a ‘waiting area.’

The Priory’s managing agents, Workman Retail, told the Guardian: “We’ve been monitoring the impact of the new ParkingEye system and in a four-week period over 64,000 visitors have used the car park. Of this less than one per cent were issued with a parking charge. We are aware that some of these were issued by mistake due to user error and were subsequently revoked.”

“We hope the comments of the minority do not deter you from visiting the centre and look forward to welcoming you on your next visit.”

However it appears the direct appeal to the people of Worksop will not persuade everyone to come back.

A Worksop woman, who did not want to be named, said: “People do not realise they cannot pick a friend up after work because of the lack of warning signs. People are not aware. They are catching people out. I would much rather give £125 to a charity.”

And reader David Thomas wrote in last week’s Guardian: “The only fair charging system is ticket on entry and payment on leaving.”