Father fined £100 for enjoying a KFC meal with his daughter in parking lot
- Gordon Teh received a parking ticket after dining at a KFC with his daughter.
- He inadvertently overstayed the 60-minute parking limit by about 17 minutes.
- Gordon criticized the short parking duration as unreasonable and called for policy changes.
In November 2023, Gordon Teh and his nine-year-old daughter visited a KFC located on Darnley's Nitshill Road in Glasgow, Scotland. Following their meal, they returned to find a parking ticket on their car windshield, which had been issued by Creative Car Park, the company managing the restaurant's car park. Gordon had entered the car park around 4:49 PM and left at 6:06 PM, exceeding the one-hour parking limit by approximately 17 minutes. He expressed feelings of betrayal and disappointment over receiving a fine during what was meant to be a pleasant outing with his daughter. Gordon further argued that an hour is insufficient time for dining, especially when dining with children, who tend to eat more slowly. He highlighted his belief that such short time limits subject restaurant patrons to undue pressure and rob families of quality time in a dining experience. Many others have faced similar situations, according to his claims, suggesting that this is an ongoing issue with the parking management practices at the restaurant. The spokesperson for Creative Car Park responded by emphasizing the reasons behind the one-hour limit, stating it was put in place to ensure parking spaces turn over quickly, especially during peak demand hours. They stated that it is crucial for customers to read and understand parking signs to avoid such situations. Additionally, the spokesperson mentioned that drivers who disagree with parking charge notices have a right to appeal to POPLA, the independent parking adjudicator, which could provide additional recourse for those affected by parking fines. The incident prompted Gordon to voice his discontent with how parking management affects customers who wish to enjoy a meal without the anxiety of being ticketed. He encouraged change to these stringent policies to provide a better experience for dining customers at the KFC location and beyond, suggesting that many individuals are falling victim to similar tactics by private parking enforcement companies.