Tesco store cancels parking ticket for Chesterfield cancer sufferer - after the Derbyshire Times gets involved

Paul and Catherine Holmes were left frustrated after they received a parking ticket following their visit to the Tesco Extra store at Lockoford Lane in Chesterfield.

Paul, who went to do his weekly family shop alongside his wife Catherine, who has stage 3 cancer and their son, left the car at the store car park for 70 minutes – exceeding the time limit of one hour by 10 minutes.

He said: "The store and the car park below are massive – it is over one mile if you walk around the whole store, plus they have third party vendors.

"It is ridiculous, unreasonable and unrealistic to expect any family with children to shop in that store within less than an hour when they do a weekly shop – especially for people who are suffering from serious illness or are disabled.”

Paul appealed the parking fine – but his appeal was rejected by Horizon Parking, which runs the car park on behalf of Tesco.

The response by Horizon Parking reads: “The Parking Charge Notice was issued lawfully and in full and proper accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the British Parking Association (the ‘BPA’). There are signs located at the entrance to, and within the car park that state the terms and conditions that apply when parking.

“One of the terms and conditions is that vehicles must not exceed the maximum stay period allowed. As this vehicle was found to be parked longer than the maximum period allowed, a Parking Charge Notice was correctly issued.

“The mitigating circumstances detailed in your representations, whilst unfortunate, cannot be considered valid grounds for appeal. Given the above, and whilst we have considered your representations carefully, on this occasion your appeal has been rejected.

“In good faith, Horizon will hold the charge at the current amount of £40.00 for a further 14 days from the date of this correspondence to allow you further time to pay.”

Paul said: “The response is an absolute joke. It is physically impossible for anybody suffering a disability or a serious illness to shop in that time in this massive store. I think this policy violates the rights of the consumer and is discriminatory to consumers with disabilities and access issues. I am very surprised at the lack of sympathy and understanding of a family shopping at a store of that size.

“I will not stop until this policy has changed – and the response is unbelievable, insensitive, uncaring and callous.”

The Derbyshire Times contacted Tesco on behalf of Paul to ask for the decision to be reviewed – and the store’s press office has now confirmed the parking ticket will be cancelled.

A spokesperson for Tesco said: “We are really sorry to hear about this, and Horizon has cancelled the ticket issued to Mr Holmes. If any customer needs more time to complete their shop due to a disability or health condition, then we encourage them to register their vehicle at the customer service desk in store when they arrive to make sure they do not get a ticket for overstaying.”