Dear Sir,
I recently suffered a cardiac arrest, necessitating a triple heart bypass and hospitalisation/convalescence for several weeks.
When I eventually returned home in November 2025 I desperately needed provisions & visited Aldi & Tesco on the evening of Monday 1st December 2025, when it was quiet, parking in the Costa Coffee car park (42 minutes stay).
My condition after surgery dictated that I shouldn’t lift anything heavy, as such I returned to the same car park on the evening of Friday 4th Dec 2025 to complete my shopping (18 minutes stay).
I subsequently received two parking fines totalling £200.00 from ‘Civil Enforcement’ – because I had entered ‘Costa Coffee’ car park after 8.00pm where apparently, no parking is now permitted between 8.00pm & 6.30am,
My calculations are that this equates to a parking rate of £3.33 per minute which is even more expensive than exorbitant airport charges.
I contacted ‘Civil Enforcement’ to appeal against their fines explaining my personal circumstances and also pointing out that although the ‘terms & conditions’ had changed the signage looked exactly the same as it had before, I also emphasised that both my visits had been during dark and inclement weather which meant that ‘terms and conditions’ were virtually impossible to read, my appeal was rejected and under threat of a ‘debt recovery agent’, I have been forced to pay the fines.
It would appear that there is no vehicle for discretion or compassion within ‘Civil Enforcement’ suggesting they are simply out to ‘screw the motorist’ on behalf of Costa Coffee.
May I suggest to like minded motorists/shoppers that they boycott ‘Costa Coffee’ in protest against blatantly unjust parking conditions, excessive fines and egregious practices.
Name and address supplied.