A change to supermarket car parking rules at a Sainsbury’s store has left shoppers divided.
Most supermarkets up and down the country offer free parking for customers for a certain amount of time, usually plentiful to let customers get in, do their shopping and leave again without risking a fine.
But a change at one Sainsbury’s supermarket left shoppers divided after they spotted a sign outlining a change to customer parking ‘on match days’.
The sign, at Sainsbury’s Whitehouse Farm in Stockton, reads: “Maximum stay 4 hours. Maximum stay 90 minutes on match days. Please see store signage.
“This is an attendant and/or camera controlled car park with 4 hours free parking for Sainsbury’s customers.
“We are using ANPR cameras and/or handheld cameras to capture images of vehicle number plates and to calculate the length of stay.
“This car park is patrolled. Please observe the following conditions to avoid a parking charge notice of £85.”
The sign then lists among rules for Blue Badge holders and parent and child parking that the car park has a 90 minute limit on match days.
It says: “Parking limited to 4 hours during store trading hours and 90 minutes on match days. No return within 1 hour. Parking restrictions apply 24/7.”
One Facebook user said: “Sainsbury’s Whitehouse Farm at Bishopton Road have just started installing these signs, if you read the small print under the 4 hours, you get 90 minutes on match days. So Stockton town supporters need to be aware of this…
“Just in time for the big game on Saturday against Oldham.
“Don’t get caught out as there will be wardens.”
Some were unhappy with the change: “Shocking considering how much money they make out of match days. Away supporters want beers for the journey home and other things.
“I think they’re cutting their noses off to spite the face, the match day people will spend money in there either before the match or after for the journey home. I have never been there to shop, and not been able to park. There are always enough spaces even on match day.”
But others backed Sainsbury’s, with one replying: “Fair play to Sainsbury’s, they’ll want to ensure that their customers can get parked without non-customers using it. 90 minutes seems a fair. If it takes you longer than 90 minutes to get round then I wouldn’t bother applying for Supermarket Sweep.”
The change however appears not to be a national change as Sainsbury’s has confirmed to the Express that different parking restrictions apply at different stores.
