A MUM-OF-THREE owes £210 in Asda parking fines - just for doing her weekly shops.
Gill Bishop is angry after being told because her Saturday morning shopping trips take so long, she had outstayed her welcome in the car park at Asda in Barnsley.
She says she was unaware there were any restrictions on how long she was supposed to take to do her shopping.
"Each Saturday morning for many months I have visited Asda while my daughter is at drama group," Gill said. "I go with my two sons, aged three and 17 months.
"We go into the supermarket cafe to have breakfast then we do a food and household item shop, then a non-food shop - because Asda trollies with kids' seats aren't big enough to do it all in one run.
"Then we go back into the cafe for a drink and snack, as it's exhausting work shopping with two toddlers.
On the way out, about 2.5 hours later, I normally fill up with diesel. On average I spend £150 per visit."
But now Gill, of Bellmont Crescent, Hemsworth, has been sent three £70 parking charge notices for her last three visits in September.
She said: "The company Smart Parking want me to pay £210 for doing my weekly shopping. They say this is due to me exceeding the parking time limit. I have never seen a sign saying anything about time limits.
"They say the only way they will reconsider the charges is if I can supply receipts proving I was inside Asda shopping all that time on each of those three occasions.
"Obviously I had thrown all the receipts away in the weeks between shopping and getting the parking tickets. No-one keeps receipts for weeks on end, especially for cafes. It's simply ridiculous."
Asda have now told Gill that her parking fines have been dismissed. A spokesman said: "These parking restrictions are designed to prevent people leaving their vehicles all day whilst they go elsewhere.
"They're certainly not there to impose time restrictions on genuine Asda shoppers. We would advise anyone who has been shopping for longer than the allocated period of time to keep their receipts and if they receive a parking notice to contact the store."
What do you think to this? Has this happened to you at the town's Asda?
