Night-time parking tickets unwelcome surprise

Diners at Speight's Ale House in Napier have been issued parking tickets for not paying for parking without realising they needed to pay. Photo/Supplied

Diners at a Napier restaurant have been left flabbergasted at the tactics being used to dish out night-time parking tickets while they were eating inside.

After going to Speight's Ale House for a meal with friends on Friday night, Shirley Randell said her friend was hit with a $65 infringement notice - just seven minutes after parking her car at the Wilson Parking-operated Customs Quay carpark at 6.32pm.

"The parking officer must be waiting in the area for the ticketing to take place so quickly after parking. It's a scam."

She and a friend, Karen, had parked out the back of the property at 6.25pm and went inside to greet other members of the dinner party.

"We had been seated for a while when one of the staff mentioned that if we were parked out the back "had we paid?"

"Karen and a number of other patrons rushed out to pay - but on reaching their cars found a ticket had already been issued. A number of other people had received tickets."

They did not see any parking signage or a parking meter on arrival.

"On seeing where the parking meter and signage is I can see why you would miss sighting it.

"Vehicles were parked in front - utes and SUV vehicles would block vision.

"Also we were not looking for a parking meter because there was nothing that indicates it is a metered area."

Speight's Ale House Napier restaurant manager Dudley Erasmus said the issue had been ongoing for three months.

"It's really poorly signed and it's really a strain on our business because we have to inform everyone.

"It's putting people off coming down here.

"If they park their car and walk in, there's only one meter so there's no way they would either see that meter or the signage, because there is an entrance that goes to Speight's Ale House and it is not even signed. It's a poor show.

"People have been parking down there for years and the carpark owner has come in, put up shocking signage. The main one they have put up is facing the road, which is ridiculous and it's just blank behind, which is the side they are looking at when they drive in."

Wilson Parking communications manager Anne-Marie Petersen said she could confirm a number of vehicles were in breach at this site for non-payment on Friday night.

"The carpark offers a 12 hour period of parking for $1.

"We believe that there is adequate signage at the carpark which is evidenced by the large number of vehicles that made payments to park."

On Friday night, the officer applied an increased grace period to that which is normally provided when issuing notices for non-payment, she said.

"Unfortunately, once a notice has been issued, it cannot be voided by the officer. However having spoken with the officer, we understand he provided clear instructions about how to appeal the breach to those who approached him.

"This information can also be found on the back of the breach notice."

However, in light of this issue Wilson Parking will put up additional signage to the car park so it is clearer for customers, she said.