KFC - Gatwick Airport - MET Parking Services

[all4one]

Hi

Popped into KFC after dropping folks off at the Airport, I have a withdrawal on my Revolut card to prove this. The Exit Barrier did have something saying Validate your ticket but I didn't really understand what it needed - the barrier then opened (I possibly pressed a button I don't remember) and out I drove. I've now received a Parking Charge of £60, which will go up to £100 from MET Parking Services - this is crazy why don't KFC have some systems to say I've used their services ? Anyway should I pay this or am I going to enter a long process of Appeal ? Thank so much

[des8]

Is this what happened:
My husband parked at KFC Gatwick Airport last night. As you enter, you are provided with a ticket from an entrance barrier (MET parking). He didn't notice any signs, nor any instruction at the machine that issued the ticket. After purchasing food, he returned to the car. There is then an approximate distance of 200 yards from the car park to the exit barrier. Once at the exit ba(thanks to MSE)rrier, it said to provide a validated ticket. He provided said ticket (not realising that it was KFC that had to validate it). At that moment, a message flashed up on the screen "please press button to accept unauthorised parking violation ;-) " (or words to that effect). There was actually a winking face on the message on the display screen!
My husband then pressed the button, (as you can't safely then reverse 200 yards with other vehicles behind), parked outside the barrier, and then walked back into the KFC to request the ticket be validated. The KFC staff scanned the ticket for him, and when he walked back to the ticket machine, it wouldn't accept the ticket that was now validated.
(thanks to MSE)

If that mirrors your experience, as KFC at Gatwick is a franchise, go back and tell the manager to instruct MET to cancel the PCN as their signs are not clear

On the other hand MET cannot transfer liability for unpaid charges from the driver to the registered keeper as that KFC is located on airport ground and so is not relevant land (cf PoFA2012 schedule 4.)

if you could post up a redacted photo of the NTK (leave in all dates and times) we could look to see if they have made any other errors
Photos of the signs (including the exit one!) could be useful if easily obtainable.