Minster baywatch fine

[Jules 1967]

Hi,
My husband took our 15 year old daughter to our local cinema which we have been to loads of times. She was meeting friends and had to prove she was 15. She wanted to take her passport. The queue was huge so my husband waited for her to hand back and left. 15 days later received a parking fine off minster baywatch for £100 reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. The car park is free to cinema users if registration is entered on a pad inside building. I have appealed and provided the time stamped ticket showing the car left 1 min after purchase. We always enter reg when going there to see a film and we have dropped off and collected loads of times without any fine. I know now that there is only a 10 min grace period when entering and leaving without paying for parking or entering reg inside. This is not displayed though. We have submitted an appeal to popla highlighting this and the fact that different signage states different things. Where do we stand on this please?

[des8]

There is nothing be done until you receive the verdict from POPLA.

If your appeal is accepted, there is no problem for you.

If however they uphold the charge you can ignore it and see what the parking company do!
Probably send a demand or two before passing to debt collectors if you don't pay.
If you still refuse payment they may initiate a court claim.

You may have a defence by pleading that it was not possible to enter the reg number within the 10 minute grace period due to the number of persons queuing i.e. the contract was frustrated by circumstances outside the control of either party.
Whether or not that argument will be successful one cannot say as court is always a bit of a lottery!

Not having seen the original notice to keeper, or the signage one can't say if there are other possible defences, but I suppose you identified the driver when appealing the charge.