"An expensive Christmas shopping trip"

A review of Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd by Newton Aycliffe newcomer. written on Saturday 25th of November 2017

My husband & I, both in our 80's spent a lovely time at the Arnison Centre just over a week ago, buying Christmas presents and food and having lunch in M & S which was very busy because of a special discount day they were having.

We decided to go into Sainsburys to see if they had anything special to add to our food purchases so had a leisurely look round there.

Imagine our feelings yesterday when we received a Parking Charge Notice from Horizon Parking to tell us we were 31 minutes over the maximum stay period and so had to pay an £80 charge/£45 if we pay quickly although if we pay by card there is an additional £1.50. charge.

We had not the faintest idea there was a limit to the length of parking anyway and we have certainly never seen a notice - why would one want to park there if you arent shopping anyway? The parking charge notice states it is private land and the terms and conditions are clearly set out on signage within the car park. Since we had never seen/noticed this information I went onto their web site to check what the signage say but nowhere does it give this information, it clearly wants us to go back to Sainsburys to check.

Well we wont be going back; we will do as we normally do in future and shop in the out of town centre Tindale Crescent in Bishop Auckland, having learnt rather an expensive (at this time of the year) lesson, especially for my husband who in 60 years of driving has never had a parking or speeding ticket..

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