ALDI & CAR PARKING
4 letters on the subject-have you an opinion?
Creative Car Park Management have taken control of
Aldi’s car park.
Their web site states “Is your car park regularly
abused by commuters or by people who are visiting other shops, offices or
premises away from your site? Do you find that everyone seems to be able to park
except you, your staff or your customers? If
so, then we have a creative and innovative solution for you…”
However, I have never known Aldi’s car park to be full. I have used it at various different times and never has there been a problem to get parking.
On Sunday my daughter’s Under 10 football team met in the car park to arrange car share. During this time a member of staff arrived and informed us that we would all be fined as the shop was not yet opened. Aldi’s staff did not give a worthy reason as to why they have taken this step – only to say “you can’t park there”. If the shop is not yet opened, then why should it matter what cars are there? Is this not a bit mean spirited?
To impose an excessive fine of £85 (£170 if not paid within two weeks), for having your car in an empty car park seems like a con to create revenue to me – revenue which Aldi’s will lose when it’s customers stop shopping in it’s store. The car park could end up being empty during store opening times too.
Sincerely
Marcella Cullen
ALDI SHAME!
>>> dear sir/madam,
>>> On Sunday 16/10 05 the parents of Woodstock u 10
girls football
>>> club met at Aldi car park in order to travel to our game in
>>> Gravesend. This was at 8.40 a.m. 1 hour & 20 minutes
before the
>>> store opened & in an otherwise empty car park! We
left 5 minutes
>>> later & during the journey one of the girls informed me that a
member
>>> of Aldi staff had informed her mother that all of us would
receive a
>>> fine of £85 to be doubled to £170 if not received in 2
weeks for
>>> parking in the car park out of shopping hours! I replied that
it was
>>> probably a notice to explain that a fine would be issued if you
>>> parked there & went elsewhere. Not believing what I was hearing
I
>>> looked on my return home only to see that it was indeed the case so
I
>>> went to see the store manager who informed me that it was nothing
to
>>> do with Aldi & to take it up with the car park company.
>>>
>>> This is a total cop out by Aldi as they employ the firm to
administer
>>> their car park. These tactics are equivalent to the Cowboy
clamping
>>> firms who operate in London. I was a regular customer
of Aldi as
>>> were the other parents but due to the small mindedness of a store
>>> which is supposed to serve our community we will not be parting
with
>>> our money there again.
>>>
>>> I can understand the company wanting to stop unscrupulous people
>>> using their car park whilst travelling on the train to London
during
>>> the week or parking & going shopping, elsewhere or wanting to
stop
>>> lorries using it at night as a sleep over but this is just a case
of
>>> small mindedness & shows no community spirit at a time when
keeping
>>> kids off the streets & offering them positive interests like
sport
>>> should be encouraged.
>>>
>>> I have checked on the Web for other complaints about Aldi &
have
>>> found that in Ebbw Vale in Wales Aldi have had to suspend the use
of
>>> Creative Car Parks due to fines being issued to people whilst
>>> actually shopping in the store! The result was scores of
customer
>>> complaints and lost customers.
>>>
>>> Keep it up Aldi you are doing well are you not? Lets have
some
>>> community spirit. Try helping the local sports clubs, not finding
>>> ways to extract money from them! I would expect it from Creative
car
>>> parks as it is in their interest to scam as much money as possible
>>> but you are not practicing good business sense.
>>> If you are short of money be honest and install metres or put up a
>>> barrier at night if that is what you want to stop. Take
>>> responsibility for your own site don't pass the buck onto another
>>> company.
>>>
>>> Malcolm Young
Dear Editor
The ALDI in Sittingbourne is causing a great deal of resentment in the town because of their Parking Strategy i.e. fining people £85 if they stay more then 1&1/2 hours.
With the Swale Borough Council recently being advised that we should have more permit parking in the area which will lead to an either greater shortage of car parking space in the Town which will force people away from shopping in Sittingbourne surely it makes sense to encourage these large stores to help with parking. The ALDI car park has never ever been filled to capacity so why bring in this ludicrous penalty as a PR exercise it must be a nightmare, I can understand the ALDI wanting to make a charge but why not install meters like the Council have in their car parks most people would accept that and why stop people parking their cars when the Store has closed one would have thought they would have welcomed local people watching the store a free security service. Local people have a great deal of problems parking overnight the ALDI should park when we close out when we open or offer people permits to park overnight.
Can I suggest that when the Council give any future permission for large store with large car parks it is under the agreement the Public as a whole can use it even if there is a charge?
Yours Faithfully
Martin Clarke
M Clarke
118 East Street
Sittingbourne
Kent
ME10 4RX
17 October 2005
To:
Cllr Andrew Bowles
Dear Andrew
With reference to the parking problem at my end of the town one suggestion is to get ALDI to be more co-operative and other couple of ideas are:
1) The park at the rear of the houses in Chiltern Avenue is not used for anything specific accept as a dog toilet maybe half could used for parking or have garages built with first offer going to residents in the area
2) The grass verge in South Avenue going from Chiltern Avenue to the school could be converted into parking bays.
3) The grassed of area between the ALDI car park and West Lane could be made into parking bays
Making the area into permit parking would be a disaster for my Martial Arts Club as parents would not be able to park so they can watch their children, the club would definitely have to close.
Could you pass this on the relevant department at the council?
Yours Faithfully
Martin Clarke