It is nearly Christmas, the time to give. No-one thought that Dean Cohen's gift of 2 hours of free parking was much of a gift, not even a stocking filler, and it certainly wasn't destined to be a High Street filler. The gift was sexed up as being a free weekend's parking but that was to over-state the case as only one High Street has charges on a Sunday in any event and you couldn't park all weekend without getting a parking ticket. Happy Christmas from Barnet Council.
Now you would hope that the council would have advertised this ungenerous offer more widely than they have.
Were there any signs on pay & display bays advertising the free parking? No.
Was there a recorded message when you phoned up the pay-by-phone number to say that you didn't need to pay for the first 2 hours? No.
Did Helen Michael of Cafe Buzz in North Finchley ask 200 people today if they knew about the free parking? Yes she did.
Did any of them know about it? No.
Will Barnet Council donate all of the money they have pocketed in error to charity, say Crisis at Christmas? What do you think? Mr Mustard thinks they won't as the council have no morals.
Is Cllr Dean Cohen actually Scrooge? Quite possibly.
Thanks for nothing Dean.
Update: Christmas Eve. Mr Mustard wandered past the Stapylton Rd car park in High Barnet. He saw a sign flapping in the breeze. Oh, he thought, the council did manage to put up a sign at one car park at least to say that parking was free for 2 hours. He went over to take a closer look. Oh yes there was free parking, but in July 12!
Evidently the same council that couldn't be bothered to take the old sign down couldn't be bothered to put new ones up, especially as it would cost them money which is about all that they care about.
Yours frugally
Mr Mustard
I was in Castle Road car park in North Finchley today. There was no signage that it was free parking for two hours. I spoke to at least a dozen people both when I arrived and when I was leaving that it was free for two hours. Some thanked me for letting them know. A few were more sceptical and said they would pay anyway because they didn't want to risk getting a ticket. I watched numerous people on the high road paying by phone. Frankly I think it is a complete and utter farce and shows what a hopelessly disorganised lot Barnet Council really are. Every single person that paid by phone today should have their money refunded automatically.
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