avoid sainsbury's in Forest Hill like a bad smell !!!

[paulhandyman]

I was waiting today (approx 30 min) for my friend at the back of the Sainsbury's store in Forest Hill (Pear Avenue). There is a nice big parking for sainsbury's shoppers. It seems like a normal free parking for sainsbury's visitors like the one in East Dulwich or Sydenham but it isn't a free parking!!! I saw there a traffic warden making a good business today morning. During my 30 min observation the traffic guy made approx 20 photos of the cars without valid parking ticket. Many people visiting the store don't suspect that there is a NCP paid parking. There are a couple of small signs "pay and display" but the visibility of those signs is really poor. Also the ticket machine is located NOT in the open parking space but first in the sainsbury's underground sub-parking. I saw there today many suprised people who spent a lot of money in the shop plus they have now to spend ?60 or ?80 for the penalty parking ticket. NONSENSE !!!!! I even asked the traffic warden guy 'what's going on' - he said that the parking is magaged by NCP in cooperation with Sainsbury's !!!! For me it's a real trap for unaware customers. They should put there a huge sign informing that the parking is not free and managed by NCP and install a couple of ticket machines!!!!

[reetpetite]

I use to use this Sainsburys before it was refurbished and the car park was managed by NCP then. I always had to buy a ticket for longer than I needed cos they were so hot on checking if you had paid and people use to get a ticket for just a minute over.Its to stop people parking there for the station and as Sainsburys dont own the space they cant do anything about it ,so I was told!

[Sue]

You've always had to pay for parking there as far as I know, and last time I was there (ages ago admittedly) it was quite clearly signposted that you had to pay.

[Growlybear]

I've used this car park for over 20 years, and it's always been clear that you have to either pay or get a free ticket if you're going to be less than 30 minutes. I don't agree that the visibility of the Pay and Display signs is poor, and have never seen anyone who didn't appear to know that they had to pay to park.

[paulhandyman]

There is nothing wrong in charging people for a car parking by NCP as they have invested a lot of money in that. The only problem is that they forgot to invest a couple of hundreds pounds in a proper sign informing that there is not "usual" free sainsurys car parking but a chargable parking managed by NCP. Do you think that they just forgot to do it or that the managment people of the sainsburys in Forest Hill are so stupid and don't know this problem ?? You should see today the suprised faces of the old couple putting their shopping in the car as the trafic warden informed about the penalty parking ticket. How they should know about the parking fees if there is no big sign informing about it ???? They just park automaticly their car as in many other free sainsburys parkings. There is only the question about fair business practices - nothing more !!!!

[brum]

When I first started to use this car park for Sainsbury's I did get caught out, so I think it's a fair comment about the signage. I do think it's a bit of a goldmine to the local traffic wardens and I expect that Sainsbury's are losing custom due to it.

[Nero]

One for the Southwark Bugle, methinks. Jumpin Journo should get onto this.

[Keef]

I'm confused as to why this should make you want to avoid a perfectly good supermarket. Should everywhere that has a parking fee be avoided? Should I avoid it even though I don't drive?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Presumably the Poster is saying that Sainsbury are a Party to this and are fully aware what is going on.

[brum]

I think getting a ?60 parking fine for popping into the supermarket may put some people off going back. I'm not suggesting however that people should avoid going somewhere because there's parking fees.

[daizie]

course they are, ive seen the staff sniggering at gullible people through that glass divide, ::o

[BJL]

I've shopped there (very infrequently) over the past 10 years or so - never noticed I needed to pay, never paid, never got a ticket. Must be lucky, I guess.

[brum]

Yes BJL you are very lucky! I was ignorant to the fact for just a couple of visits before I got a ticket. I go there most weeks and often see a warden going around checking for tickets. Do you play the Lottery??! You should.

[SimonM]

If it is a private NCP car park why would there be traffic wardens in there levying ?60 fines??