Man slapped with £320 fine for 37 minutes of parking

EMBARGOED TO 0001 MONDAY OCTOBER 2 File photo dated 19/07/17 of penalty charge notices affixed to several cars, as up to 17\% of parking spaces on UK streets could be freed up if drivers stopped parking badly, it has been estimated.
EMBARGOED TO 0001 MONDAY OCTOBER 2 File photo dated 19/07/17 of penalty charge notices affixed to several cars, as up to 17\% of parking spaces on UK streets could be freed up if drivers stopped parking badly, it has been estimated.

A music promoter has been left fuming after just 37 minutes in a hotel car park left him with fines totalling £320. Hywel Gregory, 25, parked outside the Mercure hotel in Bristol twice in one day, unaware that a fee was payable for his two stays – which were just 18 and 19 minutes in length.

The car park is not operated by the hotel, but a third party company, Smart Parking. It sent Gregory the unexpected fines, and despite appeals has only raised the fines.

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