Spirit pub installs pay-and-display ticketing to deter non-customers
The pubco decided to implement the ticketing scheme at the Trumpet, in Wellingborough Road, after the car-park was being used by parents to pick up children from the school across the road.
Tickets to park in the pub car-park cost £1 for three hours or £5 for all day. However, pub-goers receive a refund the moment they purchase something from the bar.
A spokesman for Spirit Pub Company said: “We decided to implement a pay-and-display parking scheme to act as a deterrent against those who were not guests of the pub but were taking up parking spaces for long periods of time.
“Although we appreciate this may be an inconvenience to some of our guests, we do refund the cost of parking to all paying guests and offer change for any guests who are caught short.”
Since installing the parking scheme, Spirit said it has received positive feedback from locals.
“We have improved access during peak times, such as Saturday lunchtimes," said the spokesman.
Speaking to the Northampton Chronicle & Echo, Jill Ramshaw, headteacher at the neighbouring Weston Favell Primary school, said she was sympathetic towards the pub’s needs.
She explained: “The pub has been really good to us over the years, but I can understand why they want to reclaim their car park, particularly in the afternoons.”
