Pub which fined car park users by mistake is charging again but with 'free 20 minutes' promise
A community pub which enraged residents by mistakenly fining people who used its car park for even reversing on to the land has begun charging again.
The parking meters at The Firs, Castlecroft, were covered with bin bags last week after owners Marston's admitted a technical glitch had not given people the free 20 minutes grace period as promised.
Due to the mistake by Premier Park Ltd all fines were cancelled and those who had paid were promised a refund, however, yesterday the parking meters were fully operational.
David Woodward, who runs grocers Woodward and Birkin opposite the pub, told the Express & Star: "The bin bags have been removed from the machines and they are working again.
"However, the landlord came over to see me and told me to tell everyone that people using the car park will get a free 20 minutes, which was supposed to be the case from the beginning."
Marston's began charging car park users after claiming customers were experiencing difficulty finding a space due to non-customers using the land for using local shops.
The pub posted a statement on its Facebook page: "The car park charges have been brought in to protect our wonderful and loyal guests.
"We've had customers not been able to find a space when visiting us, as well as our dear disabled guests not able to park in the allocated spaces due to cars parked, that do not belong to patrons.
"Our customers will be reimbursed and we will endeavour to put our guests first in every occasion. We are a business trying to get by."
All three Tettenhall Wightwick Councillors, Ellis Turrell, Wendy Thompson and Jonathan Crofts, complained to Marston's about the pub charging people to use the car park.
Councillor Turrell told the brewery: "This has caused a lot of unnecessary inconvenience and concern from local residents and neighbouring businesses, creating parking problems which didn’t exist before."
The councillors were assured by Marston's the charges were vital to the pub's viability, however, everyone using the car park would be given free 20 minutes.
However, due to the glitch in Premier Park Ltd's machinery no-one was given the first 20 minutes free and people began getting threatening letters demanding over £100 for driving on the car park.
Andrew Woodward, who refused to pay two £100 fines after just reversing on the car park to turn around, still will not use the car park despite being given assurances the first 20 minutes are free.
He said: "The machines are back working again but even with the promise of the first free 20 minutes I just don't trust the machines, so when visiting my brother's shop I park down the road just to be safe."
