MY family and I have just returned from a lovely short holiday in Somerset, much needed after three previous holidays had been cancelled due to Covid-19.

On October 27, we decided to visit our favourite beach, at Kilve, and the lovely Chantry Tea Rooms.

On leaving the tea rooms we decided to drive down to the beach and park at the bottom.

Looking at the parking signs we could see what the charges were but there were no pay and display machines in evidence.

It was only as we left that we noticed the pay and display machines opposite the tearooms and if memory serves me you can not see the signs as you leave their car park.

It was too late to pay by then, but I did note that there was no option to pay by card, no telephone option, only coins.

In this day of Covid-19 I have decided to not use cash or coins due to the risk of catching the virus.

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I am guessing that Premier Park has only recently taken over parking at this beach as it was different from our previous visits.

A week later now back at home, I was shocked to received a penalty charge for £100 for non payment of parking.

I feel that is very unfair in light that there is poor signage where you park the car and the machine is several hundred yards back up the road and not actually in the car park where you would expect to find it.

The signs in the car park gave no indication of where the machine was.

I regret that this will be the last time we visit this particular beach in your beautiful part of the country.

Hopefully, someone with authority in your part of the world might look into these cowboys and take measures to prevent other holiday makers like us being caught out.

RICHARD COLE
Banbury