I’ll take my trade to another store

Having been a regular customer of the Jempsons Store in Rye and at Peasmarsh and spent thousands of pounds at the store over the past 15 years. My wife and I drove into Rye on March 3rd at 7pm to spend money in the town and drove into Jempsons car park as we have done many times before, we park and return to the car at Midnight and drive home. On March 9 I receive a parking fine of £90. I am in receipt of a fixed penalty notice I have been recorded on camera coming in and out of the car park.

I saw no signs, it was very dark it is a poorly-lit car park at best and certainly no illuminated signs depicting any sort of parking control. I have no idea how long this control has been in force but it is certainly a surprise to me, how many other loyal Jempsons customers have been duped into paying £90:00 by this sharp and money grabbing practice, I thought from the amount of new stores they have opened over the past 10 years that they were doing very nicely thank-you I didn’t realise they were so strapped for cash that they have to do this to their regular customers.

Well. ‘Hey-Ho’ I’m off to Tesco, I will shop in Hastings or Tenterden in future, so goodbye Jempsons I don’t need you and I hope all the other regular customers you hit with this ‘fine’ decide you and go somewhere else to spend their money.

Why not put machines in and charge an hourly rate after the store has closed or if you are so protective of your parking space put a bar up as you do at Peasemarsh and keep everybody out after the store has closed. Don’t use the excuse that you have deliveries out of hours, drivers have access 24/7 at all your stores. Once again here is something else to stop people coming into Rye Town at night to spend money in the local Restaurants / Pubs etc.

Bob Charters

Donald Way, Winchelsea Beach