I've just received a parking ticket...

Award winning hotel, located in a woidland park, recently imposed parking restructions. If dining/staying you must confirm booking at reception on arrival. There are signs but I think due to being in a park people think all parking is free. There is also a golf course/club nearby with a car park, free to diners and players, again signs in place. If you can prove you did have a booking for the time of the parking ticket you may have it cancelled or if you can demonstrate signs aren't in prominent position or are clear you may have a case, otherwise expensive oversight.

This happened to me. Pub car park. Lunch with a friend. At no time did the front of house staff ask if I had parked (you get an exemption voucher). There was a sign in the car park which I couldn't see because a delivery vehicle was parked in front. All I had to do was email our receipt to the pub and they took care of it. Because I am a worrier I checked back a few days later to make sure. It's an automatic fine with a camera-usually run by a separate company. These pubs get understandably upset with people using their car parks for free - especially if they are near to stations etc. I was so panicked but it was very easy to sort out. Why the bloody hell don't the staff ask if you parked or put a note on the menu or on a notice board.

Apologies just no time for spell check on above.

Complain in a letter to the hotel owners. Check on line who runs the car park?
Don’t pay!

You need to find out who owns the car park. The hotel may have a contract with an outside agency and therefore will not be liable to have any communication about it.

These parking companies are viscious in their attempts to make money out of people.

Either pay the fine or sit it out but you may be liable then to pay more.

It's just a money making racket.

Go and take a good look around the car park to find any signage! Does it exist? Is it obstructed? Is it clear? If you see anything that gives doubt then that might strengthen your case, otherwise it’s unfortunate you’ve got a fine.

This happened with wedding guests at our sons wedding. Sign on reception and tablet to sign car in. Hotel nulled all fines. Have you a receipt from meal or coffee. Can a waitress member of staff remember you. If they don't nul it put a really bad review on. Remember one of you will have proof of visit

This happened to me. If you are in Scotland contact Citizen’s Advice as certain laws in Scotland differ from English ones and these laws can’t be enforced in Scotland. I did not pay and just ignored the letters demanding money. They eventually gave up.

A hotel near us does have an independent parking company responsible for their car park. When going in it's necessary to register the car and then there is no charge. The hotel, however, can't waive the charge unless the number has been registered. It's just an annoying thing you have to remember to do. A while ago DH parked in a supermarket carpark on a Sunday evening assuming that parking would be free but then received a letter imposing a fine. It was dark - he couldn't read the signs saying it was 24 hour 7 days a week arrangement. We live in a small market town but now are having to embrace the money grabbing scenarios which exist in big cities!

Yes, and see if there is anything online about people talking about that hotel car park and it's signage/policy etc.

I doubt you are the first person it has happened to.

I meant to add this link from above

"You need to find out who owns the car park."

Check for signs about parking and contact the Hotel Manager. Similar happened to me some years ago in the local Homebase carpark. I telephoned the shop to inform them I would never visit them again; she apologised profusely, said the carpark had been given over to a firm to manage because it was used regularly by people parking their cars all day and travelling to London to work, (true,) and also that the signs in the carpark were not clearly visible to ensure customers were aware of the changes. She rescinded the fine immediately.

A nature reserve near me is charging for car parking; not for the car but for the number of people it carries, which is frequently four. Plus the entrance fee.

Absolutely Seapebble, wouldn’t cost much to put a few signs up in the establishment to warn people.
People could pay & get it knocked off the meal, that would stop people taking advantage.

Don't pay it, be tenacious!! This happened to us at an establishment owned by The Inn Collection Group so it is worth you checking who owns the hotel, it may be the same group.
The establishment didn't highlight that customers were supposed to enter the car registration number when visiting, we noticed a machine but it was switched off so didn't think any more about it and none of the bar staff mentioned it. Three weeks later, we received a Parking Charge! A call to the hotel produced no help whatsoever.
I presume you have receipts to prove you were customers so hang onto them should you need them. In the meantime, I have decided to play them at their own game and produced an invoice for 'administration and research costs as a result of erroneously issued Parking Charge issued by their representatives' for the same amount they have quoted. I have sent this, along with a copy of the Parking Charge to the Hotel owners and suggested that if I have any further harassment from the car park operators (their representatives) the administration fees will increase. Use the same 'implied threat' language that they use. I have also returned the original Parking Charge to the car park company. I have marked this as 'sent in error' and 'I do not owe this money', placed it back in the original envelope and marked it as 'return to sender' so that I don't have the postage to pay. If these establishments want to outsource their car parking they should have to deal with the problems, not the customers. A view on line about this particular hotel chain highlighted the many, many instances of problems, erroneously issued fines etc etc. I have now been contacted twice and employed the same tactic. I will reply once more if necessary, stating that this is my last communication, I have explained that I do not owe the money and it is important I feel to maintain this position. It makes me furious. Don't let them bully you, they try it on for easy money. Also, I would suggest you do not ring them or e-mail them as again, they then have your details to either use to harass or to sell on. Hope this helps.

I agree with much that has been said. So other extras things that I would consider. Writing clearly and concisely what happened and sending it recorded delivery to the hotel, so that they cannot say that they have not received your letter. Take photos from various angles of the parking signs , showing how badly they are placed etc. Then if there is no effort made to change things or cancel the parking charge despite your eating there, I would then go more for publicity in every way possible. Write to your local paper, contact your local radio station, both to tell your story, and to warn others of the deliberately small and unlit parking signs. Whatever clubs or groups you belong to, make sure that the message gets to them all too. Of course if your first salvo doesnt make them change anything, then I would get together with as many people as you can , to write to the hotel, explaining why you will no longer be visiting them , and how this will include all your family friends etc etc. You could also try sending another letter to the local paper and ask for people to contact you with any other local places , doing the same sort of thing, so that you can a) avoid them b) make a list of these sharp practice places that you could all check up and avoid such places. One of the main reasons seems to be these days , that hotels and restaurants pass over their car parking to third
parties , to save them getting involved, and think that this will save them hassle, and for some ludicrous reason , think that we will only be annoyed with the parking people rather than the cafe or hotel that has allowed them to take over, without putting clear notices easily visible in the entrance to their properties so that we all know where we stand.

Contact the Manager in writing, email and copy your lunch receipt in and hopefully it will be waived. Also point out you didn’t see any signs to register your car. A friend of mine did this in similar circumstances and it was waived. Good luck.

Hi, I received one whilst visiting Guildford Cathedral! I hadn't realised there was a time limit. (after receiving the ticket I went back afterwards to check the signage, yes, the signs were there). But I still appealed (I was taking care of another person at the time in pouring rain and hadn't expected any car parking restrictions). They parking company said I needed proof to substantiate why I was there. I was able to prove through receipts from the on onsite cafe and the cathedral programme I still had. They cancelled my ticket.
Every time I now go somewhere my first question is on entering do I need to register my car registration and how long can I park for. Some of the pub/restaurants around my area have this parking restriction.
My advice is to appeal and try to find proof of your visit Even a bank statement showing details of your visit.
Good luck 🤞

I had a similar problem when I parked in a Wetlands Centre car park without paying to go into the centre, I sat and chatted to a friend, drove off then got a parking ticket for £100 in the post.

However a couple of things apply, as the car park is probably a private car park and you need to go back and have a good look round to see what signs if any, are displayed in the car park about registering your number plate in the pub .
I didn’t get the parking ticket until more than 2 weeks after I parked and when I called Citizens Advice, they said I didn’t have to pay the fine but there are certain phrases you use when you write to appeal the fine. I can try to find the letter I wrote if it helps. If there are any signs at all in the car park rather than just in the pub this will be harder to dispute. Good luck

www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets/

I have had a recent unfair parking fine and you need to put in time and be tenacious to get it cancelled; they never make it easy hoping most people cannot be bothered and just pay up, which mostly happens.
One thing about being retired is that you have the time to fight for justice.
Its awful tedious but can pay off.

Usually hotels have very obvious screens asking you to input your registration. They should also have plenty of signs in the car park.

It very much depends on who owns the car park and whether they can prove there are signs explaining parking fees! We now have to register our car when dropping off charity donations for our local Salvation Army store! So, always check is my advice

Be careful when you stay in a hotel. I stayed for two nights and registered on arrival. Never thought that you had to register again for the second night, and was sent a ticket. Got in touch with the hotel and they fixed it with the car park owners. On reflection, I think the hotel should have registered for the second night.

Same thing happened to me at a pub this week - £100/£60 fine🥺… we phoned the pub and got landlady to act on cancelling the ticket. She just needed car registration and the PN number on the fine letter. Hope this will work for you too? Talk nicely to the hotel?? Sympathies for the nasty shock!