Pub installs equipment to prevent car park abuse

The Lord Kitchener in New Barnet has joined forces with parking management company Creative Parking following several complaints from regulars about lack of available car spaces and a serious parking incident occurring on the premises earlier in the year.

Locals said the free parking is increasingly used by residents visiting other shops and restaurants on the high street.

The McMullens pub has now installed ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras and will ask customers to key in their car registration number to a touch screen pad located inside the venue, entitling them to park for as long as they are using the pub’s facilities. The managers hope the changes will lead to increased turnover and a happier customer experience.

A spokesperson for Creative Parking said: “We already successfully manage the parking facilities at another McMullens public house which used to experience similar issues to that of the Lord Kitchener.

“This pub simply does not have the capacity to provide unlimited free parking to the local community as well as its patrons, especially when a consequence is likely to be reduced trade as customers are discouraged by the lack of parking.”